


Room 104

by SeparationBoundary



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Fluff, I really packed this one with tropes, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) is Bad At Feelings, Levi is hot but doesn't know it, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Non Binary Hange, Top!Levi, Trans Nanaba, bottom!Eren, inappropriate use of a high school science lab, oh no there was only one bed, oh no they were roomates, seedy motel, teacher!Eren, teacher!levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 12:47:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21849892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeparationBoundary/pseuds/SeparationBoundary
Summary: High School Social Studies teacher, Levi is having a bad couple of weeks.His lover is flakey, he might lose his house, and there's a new, young teacher at the school who may be after his job.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 119
Kudos: 321
Collections: Levi x Eren





	1. Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to @Wasterella for her amazing fic [Hey, Lover](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4974076) which really helped me with writing txt conversations!

5:30 am Thursday

Levi stepped silently into the almost empty gym, from the chilly darkness outside into the warm, bright light. It was 5:30 am on a Thursday and he was, understandably, one of only three people there. He didn't hesitate and certainly didn't greet anyone but walked straight into the locker room and to his locker. He pulled off his thick wool coat to reveal that he was already dressed in his gym clothes; a pair of old gray sweatpants, soft with wear, and an oversized black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. He definitely didn't favor anything gaudy or colorful.

He had with him his leather satchel and, oddly, a garment bag, both of which he hung up in the locker with his coat. He extracted a small container of antiseptic wipes and a clean, if worn, towel. He never used the gym's towels because he wasn't certain that they were washed properly. The thought of drying off with a towel that possibly had some stranger's residual sweat on it made him shudder.

Levi left the locker room, gave a vague ‘don’t fuck with me’ scowl in the direction of the other two men in the workout area, and stepped up to his first weight machine. He began carefully wiping it down with an antiseptic wipe.

Outside it was just showing the first greys of morning and Levi snorted wryly to himself as he wiped. Better working out at the ass-crack of dawn than having grown men make fun of his fastidious habits like a crowd of middle-schoolers. At that thought, he shot another glance at the other two men who were in the gym. Neither was watching him.

Finally, everything was clean to his liking, and he adjusted the weight on the machine. It was the leg press, so he moved the pin to 350lbs.

He started his routine, already plotting which machine to move to next and how many reps to do. Then his mind sort of fuzzed out and he fell into the bad habit---as he often did---of brooding about his life. He tried not to think about it; tried to think about something else, _anything_ else, something sunny, something happy. But it never worked. 

His life. Fuck. What a shambles.

Thinking of it made Levi so depressed. Here he was, 32 years old, and already in a rut like an old man. But unlike an old man, Levi had almost nothing to show for his 32 years. True, he had a job that he loved and a house that his mother left him ... but he made very little for having worked for a decade and his mortgage was overwhelming him. He had a single good friend, Hange Zoe, and he liked his co-workers OK. That was good, he supposed.

And his boyfriend ... shit ... he couldn’t even call Nile his boyfriend. Fuck buddy, maybe.

Levi’s musings were interrupted by one of the other two patrons leaving, a big meaty fucker who looked like he had protein powder where his brains should be. He spent only a few minutes in the locker room---too quick to have showered---and Levi cringed in disgust. The other patron, a tall, young, crew-cut guy, changed machines after a while, moving just one down from Levi.

Levi tried to ignore him but as he determined from a few quick glances, the guy was sort of cute in a burly, rugged way.

The man was openly watching Levi as he worked out; eyebrows creeping upward as Levi added weights. 

Eventually, it was impossible for Levi to stay focussed on his pensive thoughts. It was flattering to be admired, after all. Levi, despite the little ego boost, carried on with is workout doggedly until he was done. Crew-cut caught up to him in the locker room.

Levi had removed his small caddy of shower supplies from his locker and was stripping off his sweaty shirt when the man came into the tiled room.

"Holy shit," The man said, openly ogling.

Levi paused, shirt off, skin going goose bumpy and nipples hard in the cooler air. He frowned. He didn't like to be naked in front of people. He was too pale, too short.

He paused, unwilling right then to pull off his sweatpants in front of someone else, wishing the guy would just go away. 

_Wishing he would stay._

“Hi,” the guy said, grinning. He had really good teeth. And nice skin dusted with a few light-colored freckles.

Levi managed a nod. He felt suddenly shy. He was very bad at flirting if that’s what this was. Levi waited, staring at the floor, fiddling with his sweaty shirt.

“Uh,” the guy said, scrubbing the back of his neck and rather obviously flexing. “I noticed you working out. You interested in some company?”

Levi's eyebrows shot up. Jeez, why was this guy talking to _him,_ anyway? He tried to act cool despite his rapidly beating heart.

Levi’s first instinct was to be rude or at least vulgar but the unexpected attention was throwing him off.

“Like what?” He asked. Yep, there was his signature bluntness.

The guy seemed unperturbed. He chuckled.

“I’ve seen you in here before. I thought, maybe, a drink or three?”

Levi stared. “It’s six in the morning, chucklefuck.”

“Heh! Not now!” Crew-cut amended. Then he stepped closer. A bit too close.

“You’re really hot,” he said, voice suddenly husky. 

Levi would be lying if he said that he didn’t feel a warmth in his groin at the words but he had a feeling he knew what was going to happen next. Not knowing what to say he kept silent, concentrating on the grout between the floor tiles. It didn’t look as clean as he’d like.

The man reached out then and tucked a strand of Levi’s midnight black hair behind his ear.

Levi let out a slow breath.

The tall guy leaned slightly in until his mouth was centimeters from Levi’s ear.

“So cute and tiny! I’ll bet you are such a cum slut, Princess.” He murmured and reached around, kneading Levi’s ass. “I’d love to cum all over that pretty face of yo---”

The transformation in Levi was explosive.

His forearm connected with the guy’s throat hard enough to punch him backwards into the lockers where he slid sideways onto the floor. When the guy was on his ass, gasping for air and clutching his neck in both hands, Levi sneered down at him.

“I’m not your little ‘princess’, asswad. You think that because I’m small that I’m a twink? The little guy always takes it up the ass, eh?”

Levi stripped off his sweatpants then, exposing his entire lean and chiseled body clad only in skin-tight nylon boxer briefs.

He leaned in further, looming over the man.

“Well, _fuck you_ , dickcheese. I know plenty of guys more ‘manly’ than you who bottom. Everybody is different. Don’t judge a book by its fucking cover.”

Levi gave one last snort of disgust and stripped off his briefs. Crew-cut’s eyes snapped down to Levi's thick cock bouncing on a nest of soft black pubic hair. He swallowed as Levi strode off to the showers, then scrambled up and gathered his stuff to leave before the vitriolic little man was done showering.

After his shower - and after a brief belligerent glance around to ensure he was alone - Levi extracted a well-tailored if slightly worn gray suit from the garment bag and got dressed. He bundled his soiled workout gear with distaste into a plastic grocery bag which he tied shut. He had to get to work and his mind was spinning.

Stupid bills. Stupid life. Stupid crew-cut.

  
  


6:45 am Thursday

Levi unlocked the door, the heavy tumblers of the old lock settling smoothly into place, and stepped into the elderly school building. Inside it was still chilly from the heat being turned down for the night. He paused and shook the frigid rainwater off of his coat and onto the thick mat by the door. The smell of the school struck him as it always did; chalk and floor wax and old books.

He was still stewing a bit from being hit on in the gym and the old building was a comfort.

He was always the first there save for the custodian, who was likely in the basement coaxing the old furnace to life. Levi loved being the only faculty there this early. He liked the long echoey quiet of the hallways and the dark silence of empty classrooms

And everything was so _clean_ first thing in the morning, before anyone got there. Their custodial team was outstanding but, alas, they were no match for an entire day of high school students and teachers and staff. First thing in the morning, however, it was pristine and Levi liked that.

Levi’s shoes clicked on the shiny old hardwood floor as he went down the hall, heading for his room.

Room 104 was a large room and in an odd triangular shape as if it had been an afterthought during the building of the school. Originally a chemistry lab, it was mostly defunct except for the occasional working sink in the long zinc-topped tables. There was so much room that Levi had acquired enough desks - battered and scribbled on such as they were - to have an entire class in desks in the apex of the big room rather than within tempting reach of a sink. Levi was not a science teacher. His subject was social studies and this year he was teaching 11th and 12th-grade history. 

Levi looked with satisfaction around the room. He felt comfortable here. Safe. The only other place he felt like this was his tiny home, the old house he had shared with his mother. He unpacked his satchel, soft and scuffed and redolent of the smell of Murphy’s oil soap and braced himself for a new day.

He had fifteen or twenty minutes before other voices would invade his sanctuary, careless feet would track in the mud and the wet, and balls of paper and food wrappers would fail to make it into the garbage cans.

He sighed. Fifteen or twenty minutes. He may as well look at his dismal finances. He dragged a folder toward himself and began to go over the numbers one more time. Perhaps he would miraculously see something in his household budget he’d missed.

At 7:30 Levi gave in. The numbers just weren’t adding up. Well, they _were_ adding up, but the result was depressing. He idly checked his phone, then cursed at himself for doing so. It’s not like Nile would ever text him during the morning. Heaven forbid Marie should find out.

Levi listened to the muffled sounds outside his door. For the last half hour, the school had been waking up. The lights came on, the heat came up through the ancient radiators, and teachers and staff got to their rooms and offices, got their morning doses of coffee and gossip and bitching out of the way.

Levi glanced at his phone again. He could imagine Nile in his office at the police station, his morning going much the same, and firmly suppressed the urge to send the man a dick pic just to get a reaction.

Speaking of Nile, he had insisted they go out tonight - in the next town over, of course, lest anyone see them - and Levi wondered what it was about. They usually hooked up on Friday or Saturday. Was he just horny? They should do something new. Anything new. Maybe a nice hotel. You’d think getting dicked down in the back of your own squad car would get tiresome after a while.

Levi wondered idly (for the hundredth time) if he should end it with Nile. Nile was married and had three kids; he would never belong to Levi. The sex wasn’t great and all the sneaking around got on Levi’s nerves. They never got to go out, to do anything fun. But Levi, perversely, didn’t _want_ to end it. He hated being alone. At least with Nile he had _somebody_ ; a warm body to hold for a bit after sex. Before Nile jumped up and showered, scrubbing every trace of Levi off of his body.

As always, Levi ‘s mind eased into fantasy as he imagined having someone who was _his_ , someone whose hand he could hold, someone he could go out to restaurants with, someone to text playfully during the day, someone to come home to. Levi thought of his house, small and old, painfully clean but a bit gloomy, and thought of how nice it would be to have another person there with him, how much brighter it would seem.

He shoved his depressing thoughts to the back of his head and got on with preparing for his classes.

  
  



	2. Change

7:30 PM Thursday

Levi spent a good while getting himself ready to meet Nile; showering, (washing everything twice), his good dark grey suit, a tiny bit of cologne, his silky, black hair falling perfectly over his pale blue-grey eyes. As he studied himself in the mirror, debating a tie, he began the dog and pony show that was his insecurities crawling to the surface.

“I don’t know why I bother to dress up,” He told his reflection. It was not like he was some prize. He was short, perpetually grumpy, and had no social skills whatsoever. He tugged at his collar, unbuttoning the top button, deciding against the tie. If he wore a tie then he’d look like a runty funeral director. He scowled into the mirror, hating his abbreviated height. Why couldn’t he have been tall, like Nile.

_ Ugh. Nile. _

“Pathetic,” Levi hissed. “Pathetic to keep this up with Nile.”

Or maybe it was the other way around. It was not like Levi had people begging for his dick. Well, except for the random crew-cut. He jerked irritably at his shoulder seams. Regular shirts were always tight across the shoulders on him. If he got them to fit his shoulders then the sleeves were too long. He swore under his breath. He was about as ready as he could get.

Levi sighed, giving his hair a final pat and grabbing his coat. It wasn’t if he had actually gotten any in a while, anyway. Nile was so fickle and paranoid.

Levi arrived at the bar slash restaurant about ten minutes early despite having stopped for a bouquet of flowers. He took his time parking; Nile was always late. He left the flowers in the car and strolled toward the entrance.

To his disbelief when he got into the restaurant he saw Nile sitting in the back corner. Levi hurried over, wondering if he’d gotten the time wrong.

“Nile, I’m sorry. Am I late?”

The tall man with the sparse beard grimaced, a gesture that was supposed to be a smile, and refused to meet Levi’s gaze.

Levi knew. 

Levi knew before he sat down. 

Nile fidgeted, smoothing the wrinkles of his cheap suit jacket nervously as Levi very, very slowly sat.

“You’re breaking up with me,” Levi said faintly.

The policeman squirmed and ran his fingers through his thinning hair.

“Levi …”

“Why?” Levi asked, hating how small his voice sounded, how hurt. “Was the sex not good?”

Nile’s eyes widened immediately,

“No, baby, no! Nothing like that! You know I love … that.” the last sentence was delivered sotto voce as he leaned across the table. Heaven forbid anyone think he might be a fag. 

Well at least one of them was truly enjoying it, Levi thought distantly.

“It’s ... it’s fucking  _ Marie _ . One of her friends saw us at that district meeting …”

Nile’s three daughters were in the elementary and middle schools in Levi’s district. Levi remembered the meeting, just an innocent parent / teacher night.

“We didn't do anything, Nile. We just stood there and spoke.” Levi was beginning to feel nauseated.

“I know, I know, but Marie asked about it and …”

“And you’re breaking up with me?”

“I can’t risk Marie finding out! You know that! The kids …”

“You don’t feel  _ anything _ for me, do you?”

Levi knew he was being hypocritical. He certainly didn’t care deeply for Nile. He was just a body to hold, warm arms around him sometimes. But the hurt, the ache of rejection … the terrifying feeling of being alone ...

“Baby! Baby, listen.” Nile hissed, “It’s not for forever! Let's just cool it off a bit until the coast is clear.”

Levi had to make a decision. For his own pathetic sake. Levi had to get hold of his sad excuse for a life. He stood like an automaton. He clutched the napkin that had been in his lap and looked around the cheap restaurant, trying to think of what to do. He knew Nile wouldn’t touch him, comfort him, not there in public. Levi hated hiding. He hated it. He didn’t hate Nile but he hated the whole fucked up relationship. Carefully, he laid the napkin on the table and walked out of the restaurant, alone, into the clear, chilly night.

It was after midnight when Levi finally returned to his house. He’d stopped for a bottle of whisky and had begun drinking it in the car as he cruised aimlessly around. Now he stood in his tiny kitchen, fingers of one hand resting lightly on the old Formica table, other hand clutching the flowers. He had bought a half a dozen apricot-coloured roses on the off chance he could’ve urged Nile back to his place. He’d left them in his car so that Nile wouldn’t freak out over someone seeing a man bring another man flowers.

Levi had been going to give them to him in the parking lot. Perhaps coax Nile into a sweet kiss. Well, that had fucking bombed, he thought numbly. He’d take them to work, maybe give them to Hange. That would be a nice gesture, wouldn’t it? 

Hange. He should call them.

His hands trembled as he resisted the urge to smash the vase in the sink, flowers and all

Five minutes later Levi was sat on his couch, glass in hand, and the bottle of whisky open in front of him. He’d had two more glasses of liquor in rapid succession and was owlishly trying to dial Hange on his phone. Why didn’t he have Shitty-Glasses programmed in?

“Hello?”

“Hanzhee,” Levi slurred.

“Oh, hey sweet cheeks! How was the date?”

Levi took a swig of whisky.

“Nile broke up with … with me.”

There was a long silence then the phone went dead.

Levi took it away from his ear and stared at it. What the fuck?

He tried to dial back but it went straight to voicemail. What the hell was Hange doing? Were they drunk? Had they passed out? Gotten eaten by a zombie?

Levi sipped some more whisky and debated the merits of a zombie apocalypse right now. At least he couldn’t be depressed without a brain.

How could he be so upset about this, anyway? He’d thought, himself, about ending it. Why did it hurt so much? It shouldn’t hurt so much. 

Ten minutes later and without warning, the door to his apartment slammed open.

"Shit!" He yelled, his alcohol addled brain convinced for a second that it actually  _ was _ zombies.

It wasn't. It was Hange, a bottle of wine in each hand and their keys between their teeth. They stepped in and kicked the door back closed.

"Fuck, Four-eyes! You scared the shzit outta me!"

Hange mumbled something indecipherable past their keys before spitting them out onto the table beside the door. Levi blanched and actually shuddered at the thought of Hange-spit on his good maple table. "Sorry love muffin! Needs must!"

Levi collapsed back flat onto the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes. "Ugh. What needs?"

"Why _ you _ , lover!" They strode into the kitchen and began rummaging for - presumably - a wine glass. They came back triumphant with a large drinking glass which they promptly filled to the brim with wine. "Sit up."

"Just go away Shitty Glasses."

"You called me and I said sit up," Hange said again, seriously.

Hange being serious was an alien state for Levi. He sat up.

Hange flopped onto the couch where his shoulders had been and grabbed him by the hair.

"Oi!" he yelled hands going automatically to his head. Hange tugged his hair, firmly but not hard enough to hurt.

"Lie back," they said.

"What the fuck, Hange?!"

"Lie back!" They were very serious now, tugging again on his hair.

"Shit!" Levi said and slowly laid back. His head landed squarely in their lap and Levi squirmed, uncomfortable.

"Relax," The brunette murmured, beginning to stroke Levi's hair. They took a good gulp of wine and Levi gradually untensed. The fingers combing through his hair felt good, not that he'd admit that to Hange. He watched them from his odd angle, gradually relaxing. It was easy; he had enough whisky in his system to be practically boneless.

Hange continued to drink silently, play with his hair, and occasionally rub circles into his temple. He was almost about to fall asleep.

"Why do you always choose assholes?" Hange asked suddenly.

Levi had to swim up to the surface of consciousness. "What?"

"Why," Hange slurred, already on their fourth glass of wine, "Do you always choose to get involved with fucking dickheads, dickhead?" They snorted at their own wit.

"Nile isn't a dickhead," Levi defended immediately and then cringed. Nile was most certainly a dickhead and then some. Hange regarded him, their chin on their chest. 

"Nile is exactly like the others, Levi," They gulped another slug of wine then resumed staring down at him. "He's just like Jay and Thom and that redheaded guy ... what was his name?"

"Patrick," Levi mumbled.

"Patrick! That's it! They all did the same thing."

Levi squirmed. Hange barreled on.

" _ They  _ wanna fuck and  _ you _ want a relationship. They treat you like dog shit and you bend over backwards to please them." Hange poured another glass of wine and a big drop fell on Levi's lips. He licked it off. "Then they find a more convenient fucktoy - or go back to their wives - and boom! Why do you do this to yourself?"

Levi frowned unhappily.

Hange waited him out.

To his extreme embarrassment, Levi actually felt tears prickling behind his eyelids. He struggled to get himself back under control.

"I just want somebody," He finally said, and there was that small voice again. He scrubbed both hands over his face and left them there, talking, muffled, from under them. "I just suck so bad at the whole relating to people thing ..."

Hange waited.

"And I'm too short and weird and ... and ..." His hands flew from his face and balled into fists, striking his thighs. "I just want somebody to like  _ me _ . Like me for  _ who I am _ . I'm so happy when I find someone who will  _ be _ with me that I do whatever I can to keep them." He finished lamely.

"But you get hurt, Levi. I can't stand it. I can't stand seeing you hurt."

The uncomfortable prickly feeling behind his eyelids returned and he blinked and sat up.

"Do you know how hard it is to find someone to bottom for you when you look like I do?" Levi grabbed up his half-full glass of whisky and drained it in one go. Hange was meanwhile shaking their head.

"It's so hard. Everyone immediately looks at me and assumes I'm some tiny twink who wants to take it in the ass for a big Daddy!"

"Have you  _ tried _ bottoming?" Hange was at this point very unsteadily pouring out the last of the bottle of wine. Levi knew it was just a curious question, not a judgemental one. He shrugged.

"I tried it briefly, when I was young. It's just not my thing. I like doing the fucking."

Hange nodded so understandingly and Levi - not for the first time - wondered how exactly they and Moblit worked everything out in the bedroom.

“It’s OK,” Hange said suddenly, “You will find someone else.  _ I’ll  _ find you somebody else! Someone better!”

Levi felt relieved and grateful and depressed all at the same time.

  
  



	3. Conflict

Hange came in early to work Friday morning and found Levi with his hair all disheveled from his running his fingers through it. Levi started guiltily. He was sitting at his desk with several papers in front of him.

“Oi, oi, oi what is this?” Hange sang.

Levi tried to intercept her but Hange was as fast as she was loud. She snagged the topmost paper off of his stack and spun away. Then she took one look at it and went quiet

“The debt again?” Hange asked gently, all joking aside, coming close and handing the paper back solemnly. Levi was still paying off the medical bills from his mother’s illness. Hange came around behind him and rubbed soothing circles into Levi’s back until he gradually relaxed. He grunted softly at the attention.

When he spoke, though, it was hesitantly, “I didn’t want to tell you but,” his gaze met hers, “I’m going to have to sell Mother’s house, I’m afraid.”

“What?! Why?”

“I can’t afford it. The mortgage takes up one whole paycheck.”

Hange, who made the same salary as Levi---the standard pittance they pay public school teachers---immediately commiserated. 

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry! First that dick, Nile, and now this!” They suddenly tried to suffocate him in a huge awkward hug.

“Ugh! Shitty Glasses! Get off!” Levi managed to push them away but Hange got a manic smile on their face.

“You have an extra room!” They shrieked, “You should get a roommate!” Levi frowned at that.

“I couldn’t stand living with another person. What if he was filthy?”

“Oh, for goodness sake, Levi. He wouldn't be ‘filthy’ maybe a little messy …”

Levi shivered delicately. 

“Ugh!”

“But think of halving that bill! You’d get to keep your mother’s house …”

Levi ruminated on that.

His house was very special to him as it was the only thing he had to remember of his mother. She had died a few years ago. Levi had grown up there. It was a small thing, a cozy bungalow with two bedrooms, one bath, a living room and a tiny kitchen. Levi loved that house. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to advertise. He could carefully screen the applicants. If he didn’t find anyone suitable then he’d not be any worse off than he was now.

  
  
  


7:45 am Friday

"Moblit said he really liked both of the new faculty Pixis hired," Hange said.

Levi grunted noncommittally

"Maybe there's a love interest there, for you!" They squealed clasping their hands over their breasts dramatically.

Levi gave them a withering look as they rambled excitedly on, "Ohh, a Romeo and Juliet story! A guy from the wrong side of the tracks, Stohess High, and some pretty young thing---born with a silver spoon in their mouth---from Sina Prep, fall desperately in love ..."

"Jeez, Hans! They're not even here yet and you're planning out my life with one of them!" Levi fidgeted with the things on his desk, deep, deep down a tiny bit excited by the scenario.

"Well, there's a guy and a girl---that's like a buffet for you! Moblit says they're both smart and funny."

"Moblit would say kind things about his worst enemy."

Hange shot him a dismissive gesture then a sly look crossed their face. They nonchalantly helped themselves to more of his desk candy and Levi swatted at their hands, sliding the bowl toward himself and securing it in a drawer.

Hange sucked loudly and contemplatively on the candy. "Well I guess they could not be your types. Mobes did say that the guy is really tall ..."

"I like tall guys!" Levi said, rising to the bait.

"Then how come you've never dated Mike?"

"Mike's straight, moron. Plus, he likes blondes."

“Ohh, they should be here soon!” Hange said, bouncing.

“You are way too fucking excited, Hans,” Levi said. He had been trying to drink his morning tea in peace, troublesome papers tucked away out of sight, but  _ some _ body was sat with their probably filthy backside on his desk, swinging their feet back and forth excitedly like a kid.

“But we don’t know anything about them!” Hange insisted, “They might be cool. We’ve only ever seen them across a sports field! So to speak.”

“Yes, while screaming for their blood and threatening to draw and quarter them. Whoever they are, they come from our rival school. They’ve been our rivals since the dawn of time” Levi began tidying his desk, sharpening pencils, putting out fresh paper (why couldn't high school students learn to bring pencil and paper? This wasn’t elementary school,) “This is such a bad idea hiring from Sina Prep.”

“Oh it won’t be that bad! Have you found out who is sharing our room?”

“No idea.”

The two of them already shared room 104, you see. Hange taught Biology and general science on the ‘science side’ first, second, and fifth period and Levi taught his history classes third, fourth, and sixth period.  _ When _ the new guy from Sina was supposed to be teaching his classes was lost on them; the other two periods were their planning periods.

“Not a clue. I hope he’s clean.”

“‘He?’ How do you know it’s the he? It might be the chick and she might be hot. Just what you need to draw you out of your crabby, crabby shell, you crab.”

“Hah, hah, yeah right.”

Hange drew a sadly proportioned crab on the mobile chalkboard that they shared.

“You can’t draw for shit, Zoe,” Levi said and carefully wiped the chalkboard back down so that it was pristine and black again.

“I hate meeting people” Levi blurted suddenly as he disposed of the wipe.

Hange softened 

“I know, dear,” she said, patting his arm. “But we’re sharing so we gotta make nice-nice.”

“And Pixis will probably come and you know how I hate that old fu--”

The door swung open as he spoke admitting a small, bald, older man; Dot Pixis, principal of Stohess High. He glanced around the room as if the concept of the big, awkwardly shaped space offended him.

Levi cursed under his breath.

“Levi!” Pixis said expansively.

“Pixis,” Levi grunted.

“Hange! We should be getting our new faculty members by lunchtime. You both will be eating in the cafeteria, yes?”

Hange nodded eagerly and Levi scowled. He ate in this room almost exclusively as he had classes immediately before and immediately after lunch. Hange slapped him on the back hard enough to make him cough.

“You bet we will, sir!” She said with manic enthusiasm.

“Good, good! See you then!”

The small man gave one look around the room in faint disapproval then was gone.

Levi resumed cursing.

  
  
  
  


At lunchtime, between third and fourth period, Levi sat picking at his cheese sandwich and Hange---who had sat next to him to keep him from bolting---chattered non-stop. Levi did what he always did and zoned completely out, nodding occasionally to feign interest. Abruptly Hange sat up taller.

“Levi,” they said dramatically out of the side of their mouth.

“What?”

They nodded across the noisy cafeteria.

Mr. Pixis was walking across by the far end. Following close behind was a very young man who could have passed as one of their more mature seniors. Behind him was a very pretty, very blonde, androgynous person in a wheelchair. 

“Our new faculty members?”

“I’d guess so,”

The person in the wheelchair was adorable and had intelligent blue eyes that darted everywhere and drank in everything. As they got close, Levi couldn’t help but fixate on the young man. He was a tall, attractive brunet with coltishly long legs and eyes the greenish-turquoise of a tide pool. Levi had never seen such a color in his life. For a moment he just stared, his mouth dry,

“Oh!” said Hange “Both so cuuuute,” they hissed, elbowing Levi.

Levi elbowed them back, hard.

“Oh, cut it out. You’re already banging the art teacher, remember?”

“I was thinking of youuuu,” they sang under their breath.

Levi rolled his eyes.

“I thought I  _ wasn’t _ going to run headlong into another relationship!” he whispered. Hange made a dismissive noise.

The trio got close.

“Levi!” said Pixis.

“Pixis,” grunted Levi.

“And Hange!” said Pixis, “She’s our 11th and 12th-grade Biology teacher.” 

“I prefer they/them,” they corrected instantly, smiling.

Pixis gave a confused huff.

“Well … ah … our new Language Arts teacher, Nanaba Shultz,” He gestured at the blonde.

Hange stuck out their hand and grinned.

“She/her,” The woman said easily, shaking hands

“And,” Pixis said, “Eren Yeager, social studies.”

Levi made a strangled sound and stiffened. Eren---who had been gawping at Levi---looked unsure, hesitating.

“Levi here also teaches social studies,” Hange explained, inserting something into the gaping awkwardness.

Levi glared at the young man as Eren managed a sweet crooked smile and held out his hand nervously to him. For a moment Levi just looked at the appendage as if it had personally done him grievous harm then he shook it quickly, almost distastefully.

“Ah!” said Pixis, apparently satisfied, “Now we …”

“I’ve got a class to prepare for,” Levi interrupted, nodding to the two new staff members, “Excuse me,”

Eren watched Levi’s retreating back with something akin to despair as Principal Pixis rattled on. Had he done something wrong? First day. Brand new job. One minute he was staring at the most handsome man he’d ever seen and the next, the guy was brushing him off like a nasty stain. What had happened? 

Was it professional? Or did he realize Eren was attracted to him? Maybe the guy wasn’t gay. Maybe he didn’t like brunets. Or did he just think Eren was too young to bother with?

Suddenly dejected, Eren trailed after Pixis and Nanaba as they passed out the door.

  
  
  


Levi, back in room 104, paced behind his desk, smoothing his tie down obsessively.

_ Another social studies teacher. _ Pixis had hired another social studies teacher. Why? Was he trying to get rid of Levi? Getting ready to fire him? What had he done? I mean he wasn’t the easiest guy to get along with but he was a damn good teacher if he did say so himself.

What the hell?

He was already struggling to pay his bills. He couldn't afford to lose his job.

He thought he was doing well here. He’d won awards for his teaching for fuck’s sake! He scrubbed his face with his hands

There was a knock on the door and Levi jumped.

“ _ What?!” _

The door swung back on its hinges and a broad back backed its way into the room followed by a desk and another man. It was the custodians, moving a new desk into the room.

“What the fuck?” Levi asked.

“Desk for Mr Yeager,” one man said

Yeager? Yeager?! Oh my god. Pixis was going to make him  _ share a room with his own replacement? _

He made up his mind, stalking out of the room.

  
  


“What are you up to, Pixis?” Levi said, barely waiting till the door to the principal’s office was closed. Pixis sat easily in his rather plush office chair with a sigh.

“Whatever do you mean, Levi?”

“I mean hiring a new social studies teacher! What do you think I mean?” Levi ran one hand through his hair, “If you want to fire me …”

“I don’t want to fire you, Levi” Pixis murmured, removing a small flask from the second drawer of his desk. He jiggled it suggestively in Levi’s direction.

For a second Levi considered partaking but changed his mind, shaking his head.

“Then what gives? A shiny new social studies teacher …?”

“You’ve been under a lot of stress recently,” Pixis paused to look kindly at Levi. He and Hange were the only two staff members privy to the information about Levi’s Mother’s medical bills. “and part of that,” he resumed, “is due to your class load.”

“You have complained for years about your class sizes and he was available … so I took him.” Pixis sat back in his office chair and sipped long and hard on the flask, “Sina Prep was cutting staff due to decreasing enrollment and meanwhile we are bursting at the seams. Also, Yeager coaches and we need a girls soccer coach.” 

He belched quietly. “You sure you don’t want a sip?” Again the little jiggle.

Levi snatched at the flask, upending it and relishing the liquid burn down his throat. Was he upset about the the fact that there was a new social studies teacher or about the kid himself? He let his mind linger back over the young man’s chestnut hair, his lean frame, his hesitant smile.

_ Fuck. _

He took another sip and passed the flask back to Pixis.

“I have class,” he mumbled and fled.


	4. Challenge

Levi fidgeted around his space, straightening his already perfectly clean desk and mentally assigning himself nonsensical tasks like making more copies of a handout that he had enough copies of.

What was it? Why was this new teacher affecting him so much? Pixis had a point - Levi's classes were way too big. This new kid could take enough students for two classes of his own and they both could have decently small groups.

Levi pulled some books from his tidy bookshelf and then replaced them exactly where they had been.

But it wasn't just that there  _ was _ a new teacher. It was the new teacher, himself. He felt it the moment he saw him. Something undefinable. 

_ What the fuck? _

There was this weird feeling, a kind of fluttering in Levi’s chest that happened when he looked at the new guy, like he was about to have a heart attack. He clutched his shirtfront. Just thinking about it made the sensation start up again. Jeez, Levi get a grip. What are you? Twelve? He’s just some kid with pretty eyes. And long legs. And smooth tan skin.

Who’s trying to take your job ...

  
  
  


_ Shit! Shit, shit, shit! _

Eren hurried down the hall toward Room 104, keeping his gaze on the old brass numbers on the doors so as not to miss it. He chewed his lower lip as he quickly walked.

_ Why, why, why? _

Oh this was ridiculous. He’d been here all of two hours and he'd managed to lay eyes on the most gorgeous man AND it was Stohess's two time teacher of the year AND he was a social studies teacher like Eren AND he apparently loathed Eren on sight. Eren groaned softly and tried not to let himself totally fall apart.

Ah, here it was. 104. Eren took a deep breath and paused outside the door to gather his wits.

  
  


Levi was zoned out, alone in the room, staring into the middle distance.

“Levi!”

Levi almost screamed.

Shit, it was Hange bursting in their side door through the neighboring room.

"Have you talked to our new people? That Nanaba, she's hilarious and ..." Hange caught sight of Levi. "Oh, you ok honey? You practically ran out of the lunchroom and you look a little flushed."

Levi glanced at himself in the dark window in the door of the supply closet. Sure enough, two faint spots of color rode high up on his cheekbones.

“It’s nothing. I just think fucking Pixis is trying to get rid of me.”

“Get rid of you?” Hange echoed. “You’re the best social studies teacher they’ve ever had here, and Pixis knows it!” They patted his arm and he shrugged them off. “Aww, sugar, don’t be so paranoid.”

A faint tap sounded on the door.

Hange appraised Levi soberly.

“That’ll be  _ him _ . Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

  
  


Eren, standing in the open doorway slightly out of breath, deduced that the weird triangular room was part science lab and part classroom. Hange Zoe, the science teacher, grinned from behind what must be their desk on one side and Levi Ackerman (Eren swallowed hard), at his desk, paid him no mind at all, staring down at some papers. Off to one side -  _ way  _ off to one side - was a big old behemoth of a wooden desk that Eren assumed was his. It had been pushed close to the wall and two filing cabinets stood obstructively between it and Levi's desk.

Eren sheepishly began crossing the room.

Hange erupted like a racehorse out of the gate before Eren could make it through the zinc-topped tables of the science lab.

"Hellooo, Eren! It was Eren, right?" they almost leapt up and down, joining him on his trek to his desk.

"What do you think of Stohess High? Do you think you'll be happy here? Is there anything you need?”

Eren laughed nervously,

_ A date with the current social studies teacher? _

"It's awesome, yes, and I don't think so." He grinned shyly at them. Hange, to his alarm, caught him up in a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you'll be here with us!"

"Oi, leave the kid alone Four-Eyes," Levi muttered. Hange and Eren both looked over at Levi who still stared down at his desk as if he hadn’t spoken. He appeared to be grading papers.

Eren gulped. The man acted as if he didn’t like Eren being there but he defended him against his slightly crazy co-worker? Eren was so confused.

Hange threaded their arm through his.

"Come on, we have a few minutes left till lunch is over," they said, "Let's take a walk. I’ll show you around and we’ll leave Crabby McCraberson alone for a bit."

In the hall, Eren sagged.

“Hey, don’t look so down,” Hange said.

Eren frowned and studied the floor. 

“Mr Ackerman doesn’t seem to like me much.”

“Oh, don’t fret about it! He acts that way with everybody. He’ll warm up to ya!”

Eren looked dubious.

“Levi’s shy!” Hange said happily, tugging at Eren’s sleeve, “And a teensy bit prickly, that’s probably why he’s single right now!”

Why the science teacher had thought to tell him this Eren didn’t know. He swallowed thickly.

_ Single! _

  
  


They got back to the classroom about 15 minutes later. Eren was in a much better mood---he found he liked the crazy science teacher. The two of them wrestled his desk into a better position (perpendicular to Levis so that the young man could watch him surreptitiously,) and Levi eyed them grumpily.

“Hange!” Levi barked suddenly.

“What is it, darling?”

Levi snorted.

“Could you come here a minute, dearest?”

Hange trotted over

“Could you _ not  _ consort with the enemy?” Levi hissed.

“Oh, he's not an enemy, Levi. You're being overdramatic!”

“He might be trying to take my job!”

“He’s not trying to take anything, silly. As a matter of fact, I think he likes you.”

“Ugh, snotty brat. He just wants to suck up.”

“Jeez Levi!” Hange laughed, “With that attitude, no wonder you never get laid!”

“Laid?!” Levi said, alarmed, “Who said anything about getting laid?!”

Hange shot him a look and glided off towards their desk.

“You’re one to talk,” Levi called, “You’re getting unlimited … whatever it is that you and Moblit get up to …”

Hange smirked.

“And it’s been a while for me,” he said under his breath.

  
  
  


Lunches at school were getting absolutely painful for Levi. In a hearty attempt at welcoming the new staff, Pixis had insisted that all faculty be present at lunch until further notice and it seemed that the new kids had chosen Levi’s table.

Levi sighed for the third time as the new ELA teacher, Nanaba, giggled helplessly at something that towering oaf, Zacharias, had said. Christ. Just fuck. The two of them were disgustingly cute.

Levi tore his gaze away from the flirting couple and brooded, absently tearing the rest of his sandwich apart with his fork. Everybody seemed to have somebody. Everyone but him. And Eren. Hange had the besotted Moblit, now Mike and Nanaba. Even Pixis had been happily married for a hundred years or so. 

Truth was it had been a long time since Levi’d hooked up with anyone other than Nile and longer than he could remember since he’d been with someone whom he really cared about. Maybe Hange was right and he should try a little flirting of his own - such as it was. The new young man  _ was _ cute.

Levi had watched him teach, watched him walk, watched his large hands gesture. He seemed to be good at what he did, the students certainly loved him. But Levi just couldn't get shed of the wonder of just looking at him; gawky and tall; shy, sunny smile and unruly hair.

No that was just stupid thinking that way. The kid was ten years his junior and Levi didn’t even know if he was gay. He might not be: he couldn’t even eat his lunch in peace without the female half of the school staring dreamily at him. Levi, of course, never stared … much. As a matter of fact, it seemed like whenever he looked at Eren, Eren was looking at him.

Levi glanced up at that thought.

Sure enough, the young social studies teacher was looking straight at him

_ Fuck! _

He fidgeted, rolling up his sleeves.

Eren was trying to eat his lunch, really he was, but Levi was just so distracting. Eren was busy studying the way Levi’s deep-set, pale blue-grey eyes looked under his thin black brows when those eyes suddenly turned on him. He froze like a deer in headlights and took a blind bite of his sandwich. When he looked back up Levi had looked away. The maddening man was now rolling up the sleeves of his pristine white dress shirt. Did he have no idea how good his forearms looked?

While the two social studies teachers were trying not to look at each other, the other teachers, except for Hange, drifted away.

"Nana has already found a project," Hange said warmly after a few minutes.

Levi followed their gaze across the lunchroom to find one of their juniors - a tall, lightly built boy, speaking animatedly to Nanaba who nodded understandingly.

"That's Derek," Levi commented. Derek was one of their handful of transgender kids.

“It’s so nice for him to have someone who’s been there and done that to talk to.” Hange gushed. “Nana’s the perfect sounding board.”

Levi hummed. “We’re lucky to have a trans person on the faculty.” He finished off destroying his sandwich and folded the remains up neatly in the wax paper. "Same shit with Derek?"

Hange smiled. The gruff and anti-social social studies teacher was showing the soft side they knew he had.

"Same stuff. Mom calls him 'Amanda' still." Hange said, sighing.

Levi stood. "She needs to get the goddamned blinders off and realize she has a great son; does well in school, never causes any trouble." He snatched up his lunch bag. "See you back in the classroom."

Hange watched fondly as their friend walked away. "You're like one of those snack things, Levi Ackerman," They murmured, chin in hand, "hard and salty on the outside but soft and cheesy on the inside."

That only left Hange and Eren at the table and it was almost time for the bell; Eren Yeager looking like someone had kicked his puppy.

“Why do you look so down, sweet pea?” Hange asked, pushing their glasses up onto the messy riot that was their hair. Eren frowned and continued to poke at the poor excuse that the public school system had for a tater tot morosely around his tray.

“Nothing,” he said

“Come on, fess up,” Hage said, “I can tell you’re upset about something. Is it still Levi?”

Eren sighed,

“It’s just money. I’ve only been here for two weeks and I’ve already almost burned through my savings.”

“But you’re getting a paycheck soon---such as it is---right?” Hange asked

“Yeah but it's not enough,” Eren said shrugging, “I’m paying for an apartment I can't afford---and hate, by the way---and I have to take the bus every day to work and back and everywhere, actually. The only place to shop nearby my place is outrageously expensive …”

Eren suddenly, viciously, squashed the innocent tater tot with his spoon.

“I guess I’m just whining.”

Hange laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder

“You can whine to me any time, hon.”

Fourth period found Eren hesitantly approaching Levi’s desk.

He scrubbed the back of his neck with one hand and shifted from foot to foot. He was absolutely determined to speak to Levi and he was standing by his desk right now to that end.

“Oh for fuck’s sake what is it?” Levi snapped. 

Eren stared intently at the warm linoleum floor and Levi watched him squirm. Eren was a gorgeous thing, Levi thought idly. All long legs and lean torso. And those pretty eyes. Those pretty eyes looked up, right at him and for a moment Levi couldn’t remember why he was irritated. Fuck, he couldn’t remember his own name.

“I was … I was just going to the break room” Eren said. “You want anything?”

The two regarded each other warily

_ Why was he being so nice? _ Levi thought

_ God would he just let me get him a Coke or something? Anything to keep those silvery blue eyes on him, _ Eren thought.

Levi couldn’t stand how polite--almost deferential--Eren was. It made it that much harder to be blatantly rude to the young man.

_ Why _ he felt the need to be rude was the question. The boy was clearly sweet and seemed to like Levi so why the vitriol? Levi shrugged to himself as he watched the slender, handsome young man slink back to his desk. It was much easier to be gruff and surly than what he really wanted to do. What he really wanted to do was chat with the kid, find out if he was gay, maybe flirt a little bit.

Oh, what the fuck was he thinking?! As if a good-looking and clearly sweet young man would go out with an old fart like him!


	5. Contact

The next day Levi’s phone buzzed right in the middle of third period. He stared at it irritably, giving a warning glare to his roomful of students who were supposed to be completing a worksheet. All curious heads immediately bent back down.

[Unknown number]  _ “Hope you don’t mind me txtng” _

Levi frowned thunderously. What the fuck?

[Unknown number]  _ “Interested i the room” _

Levi was blindsided for a moment. He had forgotten about renting out the room. He contemplated how to reply. The thought of someone who hadn’t bothered to call …

Then Levi realized that if  _ he _ had to choose, he’d choose text over voice. He made a sound like an old man and started typing.

_ “It’s still available. Call for details.” _

[Unknown number] _ “Sorry, I’m in class.” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Can I do it over txt?” _

Oh great, a college student. How could he ever stand to have some party-happy almost-teenager living in his house?

Levi didn’t respond, hoping it would deter the kid.

It didn’t

The next morning, in the midst of a crapfest of meetings with teachers whinging on and on about petty shit, Levi got another text.

[Unknown number]  _ “Sory didn't get the details.” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Can your plz resedn?” _

[Unknown number]  _ “*you” _

Resedn? ‘Re-send?’ as if the details had gotten lost in the aether. Poor innocent thing. It hadn't occurred to him that Levi had simply ignored him? With a twinge of guilt, Levi sent the bare minimum of details. That would take care of Txt Boy. During fifth period he felt his phone buzz

[Unknown number]  _ “Srry to bother u. V interested” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Wud like to come look.” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Gud time? :)” _

Levi had to read the damned thing three times to get the gist.

Well, hell. He was a persistent little shit. Well. Let’s see how he would respond to being ‘interviewed’.

Levi had already spoken to a half a dozen potential roommates and had flatly rejected each one. Only this guy was left. In a fit of pique, Levi shot a barrage of questions at the mystery texter. 

20 minutes later they’d all been answered satisfactorily. Levi was stunned. The boy (supposedly) didn’t smoke, drank only occasionally (right!), didn't have a girlfriend, didn’t stay up late nights, had no pets, and no weird dietary restrictions. Levi couldn’t have abided it if he’d had to have had a refrigerator full of tofu and hummus. 

He grabbed his phone and jabbed angrily at the screen.

_ “When can you come look at the room?” _

[Unknown number] _ “NE tim u like”  _

_ “Pick a time, please.” _

There was a long silence then,

[Unknown number] _ “U sound mad,” _

Well yeah, of course, he was mad, what was this kid playing at? Levi struggled with himself and finally just couldn’t bring himself to be rude to someone he hadn’t even met.

_ “No problem,”  _ He finally typed, _ “just tired” _

[Unknown number] _ “It’s OK,” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Tell u whut, I’ll txt tomorrow and we’ll set up a tim, ok?” _

Just that, no more. 

The next evening he found himself actually looking forward to the college kid’s texts. He’d had a hellish faculty meeting and the thought of ‘speaking’ with someone who was not associated with his school was ameliorating his mood. At 5:30 the text came in.

[Unknown number]  _ “hello again!” _

[Unknown number]  _ “how was ur day?” _

Levi removed the cork from a bottle of wine and poured, taking a big gulp afterword.

“Dumb kid,” he muttered. What was he, his wife?

Finally, he crumbled a bit. Maybe the wine was kicking in.

_ “Sorry. Had a bad day.”  _ He typed.

[Unknown number]  _ “I understand” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Mine wasn’t great either,” _

Levi studied the text as he walked over to his couch. Kid must have tough courses. And apparently, he can text actual legitimate English words when he tries.

_ “Sorry about that. That sucks,” _

[Unknown number]  _ “Yah, thnks,” _

_ “How about coming Thursday around 7 to look at the room?”  _ Levi typed.

[Unknown number]  _ “Great! XD” _

“What does ex dee mean?” Levi wondered out loud, taking another sip of wine. He settled onto his couch with a sigh and put his stocking feet up on the coffee table. Hell, he didn't even know the boy’s name. Although that was on purpose. Levi never asked his mystery texter his name because I mean, what if it didn’t work out? Levi shook his head. Work out? This wasn’t a romance! Levi nonetheless put in a nickname for the college kid: Txt Boy.

But secretly Levi wished he had somebody in his real-life whom he could speak to like Txt Boy. He’d spoken more and more kindly to Txt Boy than he had his co-workers other than Hange in years. Levi cursed to himself at his stupidity

  
  


A half an hour later he was startled by a new text.

[Txt Boy] _“I kno this is dumb but I nevr asked ur name”_

_ “And I didn't ask you yours.” _ Levi texted quickly back. “ _ Let's keep it that way. Then if all this doesn't work out there will be no awkwardness.” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “LOL how cud there be awkwrdnss? thats silly” _

_ “No, it's not. Let's say your name is Harry Dickerson and this whole deal falls through because you're a jerk and one day I'm at my regular coffee shop ordering my tea and the barista calls out "Dickerson?" and I turn around and punch you in the face?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “OMG did you just suggest that my name might be HAIRY DICKerson?” _

_ “I did.” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “And why would you punch me? _

_ “Because you were a jerk _

[Txt Boy]  _ “But I'm not a jerk! _

_ “Not yet … _

[Txt Boy]  _ “OK OK lol then what do we call each other? Do we have ridiculously obvious handles like in  _ You’ve Got Mail?”

_ “What is  _ You’ve Got Mail? _ Sounds excruciating.” _

[Txt Boy] “ _ It’s a movie.”  _

[Txt Boy] _ “Ugh.”  _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Nevermind.” _

_ “Well, I call you TXT BOY” _

[Txt Boy] “ _ OMG! It IS like  _ You’ve Got Mail!  __

[Txt Boy] _ “Fine then you're HOUSE GUY _

[Txt Boy] _ “and I’ll pretend you look liek a young Tom Hanks.” _

_ “HOUSE GUY? What like a house dog?!” _ But Levi was chuckling.

[Txt Boy] “ _ Hey, you called me a boy!” _

_ “You are a boy, I'd bet. How many times do you wear your socks before you wash them?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Ewww! What kind of question is that?” _

_ “Answer it.” _

There was a long, telling gap in the conversation. Levi stared down at his phone knowingly.

[Txt Boy] “ _ Two or three times?” _

_ “That's disgusting, brat! I don't want you as my housemate!” _

[Txt Boy] “ _ Quit lying!”  _

[Txt Boy] _ “You love me!” _

_ “I don't even know you, Txt Boy.” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “But u already love me House Guy admit it.” _

Levi sighed and smiled a little.

_ “Do you ever use punctuation?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Punctu-what-shun?” _

Levi snorted

_ “Now you're just being childish” _

[Txt Boy] “ _ Maybe.”  _

[Txt Boy] “ _ Hey, this child has to go tk a shower before I turn in.”  _

[Txt Boy] “ _ Goodnight House Guy.” _

_ “Goodnight, Txt Boy.” _

Levi sat on the edge of his bed for a long moment just cradling his phone. Why was he getting on with Txt Boy so well? He hated people and people hated him. What the fuck? 

Levi was lying on his couch, head propped up on the arm just enough so that he could drink a bottle of beer without spilling it all over himself.

"Got a decent response to my ad."

He heard Hange's gasp over the phone.

"You actually found someone? A person? A human person that you approve of?!"

Levi scowled 

"I don't know if I'd say 'approve of' but ..."

"Guy or gal or nonbinary?"

"It's a guy. I specified male."

"What? Sexist!"

"Oh come on, you know most women wouldn't feel comfortable living alone with a guy they don’t know!"

"But you're gay,"

"I'm Bi,"

"Oh, yeah ..."

Levi heard Hange swallow - they must have been drinking, too

"So how come you never tried to hump me?"

"Did you  _ want  _ me to try to hump you?"

"Well no, but still."

"I can't fuck you," Levi said, "You're my best friend. It would be weird."

"Awww, so sweet! So tell me about this decent guy."

  
  
  
  
  


Levi found that he was not surprised when his phone buzzed the next night. He flipped it toward himself.

[Txt Boy]  _ "So wht sucked about ur day?" _

_ "My co-workers, mostly" _

[Txt Boy]  _ "I guess since we're doing th whole not gettin to kno each othr thing u cant say where u work?" _

_ "Nope. Let's not." _ Levi took a long sip of his wine.

[Txt Boy]  _ "Man I'd hate to date you LOL!" _

_ Date? _ Where did he come up with that thought? Levi's pulse thrummed in his throat and he shifted in his seat, unsure as to why he felt so jittery.

[Txt Boy] _ "JK of course." _

_ "Hah, hah," _ Levi typed

[Txt Boy]  _ “Wait!” _

[Txt Boy] _ "I'd totally date you!" _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Do u look like a young Tom Hanks?” _

_ "Jeez kid!" _

[Txt Boy] _ "Ha ha ha ha! Gotcha!  _

_ “You’re incorrigible!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Am not!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ "What? u dont believe me" _

_ "You haven't exactly inspired confidence, kid." _

[Txt Boy]  _ "Wat???! What do u mean?”  _

[Txt Boy]  _ “How?" _

_ "Well you told me you didn't have a girlfriend. What young guy doesn't have a girlfriend?" _

There was a long gap in the texts so much so that Levi wondered if he'd made a grave mistake. Perhaps Txt Boy's phone had died. After almost 5 minutes a text came through.

[Txt Boy]  _ "Well ... abt that." _

_ "What? You do have a girlfriend? You have three girlfriends?" _

[Txt Boy]  _ "lol! NO! actually I'm”  _

[Txt Boy]  _ “akljsfhd;ahjkl “ _

[Txt Boy]  _ “promise me u wont freak out!?"” _

_ "I'm gonna freak out if you don't tell me!" _

[Txt Boy]  _ "Im gay." _

Levi sat back suddenly. Txt Boy was gay. Holy shit.

Levi sat motionless, heart hammering. Finally, he tried to respond calmly.

_ "Well then we'll get on just fine. I'm Bi." _

[Txt Boy]  _ "OMG Rilly??!!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “m so glad! was afraid ud not let me have the room” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “I rlly rlly need teh room!!" _

  
  



	6. Confusion

Levi had taken Monday morning off and was just dragging in at lunchtime. He brought no lunch and everyone could tell he was in a bad mood so they left him alone. Except Hange of course.

After most everyone had left the table (only Eren remained) Hange elbowed Levi gently.

"So the bank didn't go well?"

Levi grunted and played with the salt shaker. Finally, he spoke.

"When I asked about refinancing the house the guy laughed. He  _ laughed _ Hange!"

Hange patted his arm gently and Eren, who was trying not to eavesdrop, frowned.

"Said there wasn't enough equity in the house."

"I'm sorry, Levi," Hange said.

"And just  _ fuck! _ I don't know what I'm gonna do now!"

Levi didn’t see it but Eren chewed his lip worriedly. It upset him that Levi was upset.

"Levi!" a voice boomed.

It was Pixis. Levi let his head fall to his arms crossed on the table.

"Is he OK?" the principal asked

"Doesn't feel well, is all," Hange chirped, "What can I do ya for Boss?"

"Ah, I'm here for Eren," The older man said, "Eren!"

"Mr Pixis, sir?"

"The groundskeeping department has informed me that they will be reseeding the soccer field tomorrow so I'm moving your team's practice to tonight!"

"Tonight?" Eren looked concerned, then positively sick.

"That's OK, right? I'll announce it as soon as I'm back in my office! Levi? You need to go home if you’re not well!" The little man walked happily away.

Eren looked as if he was going to drop his head to the table too.

Levi got home at 5 as usual and immediately opened a bottle of wine and took it out onto the patio. He knew Txt Boy was due at 7 and he didn't want to be totally snockered but he really needed a drink right then.

He poured himself a big glass and tried to relax. It was nice out, unseasonably warm, and there were a few lingering insects buzzing around the garden. It was a nice back yard, truly small but surrounded by a privacy fence. Levi found it soothing. He would have to leave this place if Txt Boy (or some miraculous substitute) didn't work out. He didn't want to leave this house. He was a tough and stoic man but he loved this house. He stared at the clothesline where a few of his shirts flapped and remembered handing his mother clothes out of the basket to hang up long, long ago.

Yes, he loved this house

Levi and his wine reconvened in the living room and he poured another glass. The alcohol was relaxing him. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. Txt Boy seemed both nice and promising. Levi smiled to himself at the memory of last night’s texts.

At 6:30 Levi took a break from the wine to brew a pot of tea. It wouldn’t do to have a potential renter think he was a lush. His phone buzzed just as he was removing the tea leaves.

[Txt Boy]  _ “Look, I hate to say this but I can’t make it tonight. :(“ _

Levi gaped at the message.

[Txt Boy]  _ “Smth came up and i just can’t get away.” _

Levi fumed.

“Well fucking great. It’s probably some fucking party.”

[Txt Boy]  _ “Something at the school that I just can’t miss,” _ The next text read

“Yeah, big titted co-eds and free booze most likely,” Levi murmured

[Txt Boy]  _ “I’m really sorry,” _

Levi paused. He wondered if the boy was drunk. Or  _ he _ was maybe getting a bit tipsy. Funny thing was Txt Boy _ did  _ sound sorry.

_ “No problem,” _ Levi texted quickly and threw his phone on the couch. That was probably the last time he’d hear from Txt Boy. He sighed. And he’d scrubbed the apartment extra hard. He frowned and picked up the remote, clicking rather viciously to Amazon to see what he had bought that he hadn’t watched yet.

Abruptly his phone buzzed again.

Levi stared at it.

It buzzed again.

Levi picked it up, curious if nothing else

[Txt Boy]  _ “U OK? U don’t sound like urself” _

What the fuck does this kid know about him? They’d only texted briefly. He contemplated bawling the young man out but changed his mind. What did it matter? The phone buzzed again and Levi glanced at it then tossed it back at the other end of the couch.

[Txt Boy]  _ “I’m rly sorry,” _ The last text read.

  
  


Levi lay on his tiny couch, one foot on the floor and his left arm thrown over his face. He was letting his mind run loose again. He’d eaten his small solitary meal, washed a small load of clothes, scrubbed up the single plate and fork from his supper, then hung his clothes up on the clothesline at the edge of the patio in the backyard.

Small. Everything about him was so small, including his life.

He had been---ridiculously and pathetically he thought---actually excited at the prospect of having a roommate. Another living, breathing human in his home. Someone to speak to, to cook for. He cursed his stupidity. It wasn’t like this person would be anything more than a roommate. He wasn’t going to turn out to be his soulmate or anything.

It was midnight when Levi finished his bottle of wine. He’d been watching porn on his laptop and now he was angry, drunk,  _ and _ horny. He casually stroked the crotch of his trousers and searched his mind for a suitable fantasy to jerk off to.

There was one thing about Levi that wasn’t small and that was his cock. It wasn’t huge but it was large enough to look impressive on him. Why the powers that be had graced him, a stubby, foul-mouthed social studies teacher with such a pretty cock he’d never know. He stretched out on the couch, pulled down his zip, grabbed his hardening length, and gave it a few pumps.

Nile had never even looked at Levi’s dick despite Levi having sucked and handled Nile’s skinny member regularly.

Levi sighed. Thinking about Nile wasn’t helping his hard-on. He let his mind wander. Petra Ral, the petite strawberry blond guidance counselor. Much better. Or Principal Erwin Smith, now there was a fine fantasy. Levi exhaled slowly, picturing Erwin spread out below him, warm golden skin, chestnut hair …

Levi frowned. Erwin had golden blonde hair. Nile’s was black, Petra’s red. Where had brown come from?

Suddenly the image of big green eyes filled his mind.

WTF?  _ Eren Yeager?! _

  
  
  


_ [Txt Boy] “Really sorry I couldn’t make it,” _ the text the next morning said. Levi had purposely waited until breakfast at the school to read his texts. A tiny bubble of happiness floated up at the sight of texts from Txt Boy. He clamped down on the frivolous emotion and sipped his tea.

“Yeah way to impress me, brat,’ Levi said under his breath.

_ [Txt Boy] “Plz let me make it up to you. Can I take you out for a beer? I still want teh room.” _

Levi snorted.

“You sound like a lovestruck teenager,” he said to the phone. Still, as he thought about it he felt sorry for the boy. At least he had texted him back. Finally Levi couldn’t resist.

_ “You sound like a lovestruck teenager,” _ he typed.

[Txt Boy]  _ “OMG! U replied!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “godd thnk u!” _

A tiny little almost-smile tipped Levi’s lips up

  
  


Eren, who was holding his own phone in his hand, let his gaze wander of it’s own will over to Levi. He was texting again. He seemed to do that a good bit for an old guy. Eren wondered who it was. Wife? Girlfriend? Hange had said he was single. Eren struggled with himself; it was none of his business. He fidgeted with a loose thread on his shirt. Finally he couldn’t stand it.

“Hey, Hange? Levi sure spends a lot of time texting,”

“You do too, youngster,” Hange cackled. “But, yeah,” she said around a french toast stick, “That’s new. He’s trying to set something up. Some college boy.” She grinned, “It’ll be good for him if it works out. Maybe de-stress him a bit.”

Hange returned to her french toast sticks and Eren felt his face heat up. ‘ _ Some college boy _ ’? College boy?! ‘ _ De-stress him _ ’? OMG did she mean what he thought she meant?! His gazed focussed on Levi again.

The man had to be in his late twenties or early thirties or so and he’s after some college kid? And he’s gay?!

A pang of something went through him; anger? No … well kinda …  _ jealousy?  _ He was jealous over some college-aged boy he’d never even met?

Eren put down his fork, suddenly not hungry.

  
  


When Levi got back to his room he suddenly paused and looked at his phone. It was dead. Huh. He always plugged it in every evening letting it charge overnight. He must have forgotten. Well, no problem. He had a charger in his desk somewhere. He could let it charge over the first few periods and it should be totally juiced up by lunch. He busily scrounged up the charger and plugged everything in, totally unaware of how much he was showing his eagerness to read the latest from Txt Boy. So much for being angry at the college kid.

By lunchtime his phone was fully charged as he’d predicted. There were multiple texts from Txt Boy.

[Txt Boy]  _ “U still there?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “U still up for me seeing teh room?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “Plz answer” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “houssssse guuuuuuuy!” _

_ “Sorry. My phone was dead,” _ Levi typed, smirking. Served the brat right for going to some kegger rather than showing up to look at the room.

[Txt Boy]  _ “So is it ok???” _

_ “Yep, come by today.” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “OK dammit! I’m coming by today. Aftr shcool!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “And nothing can stop me!” _

Levi smiled.

  
  


Eren shifted from foot to foot nervously. He smoothed the front of his sweater vest a dozen times.

What exactly was he doing? Was he insane? How did he think he could compete with a fresh, energetic college kid?

He tried not to fiddle with the deep green bowtie that complemented both his sweater vest and his eyes. He was wearing this fool get up just for Levi, to show Levi that he could look like a respectable teacher. He felt stupidly like one of those birds that tried to put on a stunning display to capture the interest of a mate. Mate?! What was he thinking? OK, he was thinking he’d love to ask the other man out. Surely a mature, dignified 24 year old was a better choice than a college kid, right?

Eren wondered what year the college guy was in. Was he a senior, just a couple of years Eren's junior, or could he be a freshman, still technically a teenager? Eren's mind wandered, thinking of some hot 18-year-old bent over Levi's desk with Levi behind him, hands on the guy's hips ...

_ Shit! Stop it, brain! _

He needed to think about something else. Anything else. Shower mold, final exams, his rail-thin, 80-year-old aunt Minnie in a bikini, flesh sagging, cigarette in hand.

The door to the room opened and Levi came in, gaze glued to his phone and a little smile on his face.

_ Oh, fucking great he’s probably been sexting the guy. _

Eren just couldn’t catch a break. Lunch was another washout with both Levi and him sitting in tense silence while the rest of the table talked. As far as Eren knew Levi hadn’t even noticed his fancy new teacher’s attire. After lunch it got worse. Back in room 104 Levi seemed determined to embarrass him. The older social studies teacher stalked straight up to Eren, cursing because he had to crane his neck back to look up at the tall young man.

“Oi, brat,”

Eren started and looked at him.

“L-Levi?”

“Don’t touch my shit. Ever.”

The trepidatious look on Eren’s face fell away and his eyes blazed. Levi idly thought his eyes looked good like that.

“What?!”

“My shit. My stuff. Don’t touch it.”   
“I haven’t touched anything of yours!” Oh yeah, the fire was definitely in those green eyes now. Levi admired it briefly before returning to the attack.

“Then what do you call  _ that? _ ” Levi asked, pointing. And there on the corner of Eren’s desk was the hefty  _ Foundations of Social Studies, Teacher’s Edition. _

Ooops

“Why … why can’t we share?”

“Because it’s mine, that’s why!”

Eren spluttered for a moment, embarrassment turning to anger.

"What makes you think you can tell me what to do, anyway?!”

Levi’s brows arched, "Because I've been teaching here for _ ten years  _ and you're just a pup!"

"A pup? A  _ pup _ ?! How… I ...! Dr Pixis chose me himself! I'm ... I'm a fully accredited teacher! This is my second year teaching!"

"Actual teaching? Or  _ student _ teaching?"

Eren paused and studied his toes, his face going red.

_ Yahtzee _

  
  


The house was clean, the yard impeccable. You could eat off of the bathroom floor. Levi was ready. Ready to meet Txt Boy and do whatever it took to get him to take the room.

He was jittery though. His heart was pounding. What the hell was this? He knew he was excited about meeting the kid whom he'd been texting---they'd gotten along famously---but this was something else. Was he just anxious that this seemingly perfect kid won’t like the house or the room? Or was he secretly afraid that the guy wouldn’t like  _ him _ ? Yeah, that was probably it. The room. He was nervous about Txt Boy liking the  _ room _ .

Five till seven Levi couldn't resist a half a glass of wine. He’d offer one to Txt Boy, too. That’d be nice.

“Oh fuck. What if this kid is like 18? He won’t be able to drink.” From a nice gesture to awkward as hell; story of Levi’s life. No, hadn’t he said that he wanted to buy Levi a beer? Levi stewed on it for a second then finally settled on downing the entire half glass and washing the glass quickly. He still felt a bit guilty.

At 7:01 the doorbell rang. 

Levi wiped his sweat-damp hands on his trousers, mustered up a sort of smile and answered the bell.

The door swung open and Levi actually stepped back a bit, stunned. 

“The fuck are you doing here?”

The figure in the doorway, tall, cute, chestnut-haired was just as startled.

“What? I … I must have the wrong …”

He even backed away a few paces and craned his neck up to look at the number over the door.

“ … address …”

“What are you doing here, brat?” Levi snapped

Eren bristled at that

“I could ask you the same thing!”

“Ask me … It’s MY fucking house!”

“Oh no ...” Eren breathed

Levi’s face suddenly fell as well.

“No way …”

The two men regarded each other warily.

“So …” Eren said finally

“So,” Levi echoed.

“This is your house and your room to rent,” Eren breathed.

“And you’re Txt Boy.” Levi finished.

“The … the person … the person I saw you texting all the time at school was … _ me?” _

“Seems so.”

“So I’ll just be going,” Eren said, “See you at work tomorrow.” He did an abrupt about-face and walked down the walkway.

Levi shut the door softly, rested his back against it, and cursed. He needed a renter and Txt Boy had seemed so perfect. Why did his ideal housemate have to be Eren Fucking Yeager?

  
  
  
  


The next morning Levi sat dully at his desk, the whole school empty and silent, and mulled over his life. About to lose his house because he couldn’t afford the mortgage and now his ‘perfect’ renter, Txt Boy, turns out to be the irritating, bratty new social studies teacher.

Levi groaned and let his forehead rest on his desk. And said social studies teacher would be here soon. What would he do? Say? His mind flittered back to his attempt at masturbating and his brain coming up with Eren. 

_ Shit. _

He couldn’t deny it. He chewed his lip. He might have feelings for Eren Yeager. 

_ Shit shit shit! _

Why couldn’t he get along with Eren as well as he did Txt Boy? But Txt Boy  _ was _ Eren and he couldn’t escape the fact that he had been beginning to get close to that mysterious person. What was it about this damned, irritating, attractive fuck of a social studies teacher?

He hated him but he wanted him. What was up with that? Levi trembled. He was a very reserved and private person. The fact that he contemplating rubbing one out (Levi groaned) to the Image of a specific person,  _ specifically _ a specific co-worker person was proof that he was going crazy.

Levi suddenly cursed. Cursed himself, the desk, room 104, the whole school, and Eren fucking Yeager.

  
  


As if Levi needed more news to sour his mood Pixis showed up before the end of sixth period.

“Levi!”

“Pixis.”

“You’ll be so thrilled!”

Now there was one thing in the world guaranteed to fail at thrilling Levi and that was being told he’d be thrilled.

“Oh, god.”

“Now don’t be negative. There's a big teacher’s convention this weekend and I’ve chosen you and a few others to go.”

“This weekend?” Levi grated, “This three day weekend when I was planning on building an arbor for my garden and sitting under it and drinking to excess?”

Pixis twinkled, “You can drink to excess at the convention. Before, after, and between seminars there’s free champagne, an open bar, plus food.”

Levi looked as pleased as a wet cat.

“And you can show Mr Yeager around.”

“Oh … oh, no … not Yeager ...”

“Yep, I got you two booked on the same train. You’re lucky for the great company. He’s a good lad.” Pixis slapped him good-naturedly on the shoulder and left, obviously pleased with himself.


	7. Con

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, my wonderful readers! Here is Wednesday's update today. I apologize for being late with it! Next update (final chapter!) will be Sunday as usual.

The train ride was uneventful. Levi and Eren sat as far apart in the single train car as possible. It was unseasonably warm, summer’s last hurrah before autumn, and the heat hit them in the face as soon as they disembarked.

There were three conventions at that hotel alone and no rooms were ready yet so they checked their bags at the front desk and went on into the convention check-in table. They were given name tags and shooed out into the crowd.

Levi hated people and large groups of them even less. Despite being his fellow educators and administration he still radiated dislike. Eren, this being the first time he’s ever been at one of these things, stuck to Levi like glue, much to the older teacher’s disgust. All of this worked together to put Levi in a piss-poor mood.

When Levi paused to check the board with the upcoming seminars, Eren hovered nearby. Levi tried to ignore him.

“Fuck!” Eren said abruptly, ducking his head.

“What? Why are you acting so strange?” Levi was baffled

“Shit, shit, shit! It’s my ex!”

Levi immediately craned his neck to get a glimpse

“Don’t look, you idiot!”

“Oi, don’t fucking call me an idiot! You’re the one acting stupid!”

“Fuuuuuuck! He’s coming this way!” Eren’s hands grabbed for Levi’s arm before he could move it. “Quick, please, pretend like we’re together!”

“What the actual fuck?! Your  _ ex _ is here and you think I wanna bail you out?”

“Please!”

Eren was hanging on his arm looking imploringly at him with those huge teal colored eyes.

“Eren!” It was a booming voice. Eren flinched.

“ _ Please _ , Levi.”

“Fuck, shit, and damn! OK, OK, Fucking  _ fine _ .”

Eren’s vice-like grip eased and Levi tugged at the bottom of his vest, pulling the wrinkles out of it.

He turned, working hastily on a smile of some sort, right into the impossibly tall figure of Erwin Smith, Principal of Stohess Elementary. Levi’s jaw dropped.

“Eren! So good to see you, and … I know you … don’t I?”

Smith extended a massive hand and Levi just stared.

Erwin Smith, a former social studies teacher himself, was 6 feet 2 inches of classically handsome.  _ This _ was Eren’s ex? Levi almost squeaked. Why would Eren have broken up with this man? Well respected at his job, well-loved by his students, an all-around nice guy, and tall and sexy to boot? And Eren had just asked  _ Levi _ to pretend to be his boyfriend?

Levi felt immediately overwhelmed. Runty and anti-social and unworthy.

“Erwin!” Eren jabbered quickly. He stepped forward to intercept his hand and _ hugged _ the man. Actually hugged him.

The tall man returned the hug with a laugh as yet another handsome blond giant showed up at his side. “Mike! I think you know this guy!” Erwin said.

Mike Zacharias, Stohess High’s PE teacher grinned down at them.

“Co … coach Zacharias?” Eren said.

Levi shook his head to clear it. 

“What, you think they don’t send coaches to these things?” Mike said, shaking Eren’s hand, “we gotta put up with them too. Besides, Erwin and I have been friends since childhood so it’s nice to hang with a buddy.”

“So who’s your friend, Eren?” Erwin asked.

Levi hadn’t moved. With the two blonds both over 6 feet and Eren who had a good 8 inches on Levi, he felt as if he was surrounded by titans. 

“Erwin, this is my friend …  _ boy _ friend … Levi!” Eren blurted, grabbing onto Levi’s arm again. Levi flinched as Mike’s eyes widened slightly

Suddenly all the titans were looking down at Levi like he was some exotic specimen. Like they were contemplating eating him. Levi managed a terse wave.

“Wonderful! You’ve got a good one here, Levi. Great teacher, too. How long have you two been together?” Erwin asked

Levi shot a sharp glance at Eren who hadn’t let go of his arm.

“Three weeks!” Eren said, “I got hired at Stohess High where Levi works and we’ve been all over each other since!” He giggled, high and nervous.

Mike and Erwin smiled and nodded.

“Well, I’ll let you go. It was good to see you Eren.” Erwin said. “Gotta go do the principal thing.” And with his signature 100-watt smile he was gone, melding into a crowd and talking easily.

Eren breathed heavily for a moment then turned to Levi.

The older man was scowling at him.

“ _ Been all over each other ever since?  _ What the fuck, Yeager?!”

Eren hastily dropped Levi’s arm.

“Sorry! Sorry! I couldn’t think!” Eren pushed his fingers through his mop of chestnut hair.

Levi stepped away from the younger man, crossing his arms across his chest, feeling acutely inadequate.

“Yeah, well, whatever,” Levi said acidly, “Hope I didn’t make you look too bad. See you around. You owe me one Yeager.” he turned to go.

“Levi, wait!”

Levi turned back to him, frowning.

“Thank you! Thank you and I’m sorry I did that to you.”

Levi shrugged and stalked away.

The convention was incredibly boring. For the social people it was no doubt fun getting to meet and greet and schmooze with other teachers and admin all the while drinking wine and eating finger food. Levi, for whom none of that held any joy, just stood in the corners sipping wine and people watching.

He was waiting impatiently for a text from Pixis or whoever letting him know what room he was in so he could flee this fiasco and just vegetate.

His phone vibrated and he snatched at it.

[Nile]  _ “Hey baby, can you talk?” _

Nile ....  _ Nile? _

Levi shoved his phone back into his pocket. What the fuck was Nile doing texting him?

His phone buzzed again. Then again. Levi sighed and pulled it out of his pocket.

[Nile]  _ “Baby, I miss you.” _

[Nile]  _ “Baby, please.” _

As he was reading another came in.

[Nile]  _ “I might need to be reprimanded, teacher.” _

Shit. 

“I guess we’re not worried about Marie anymore,” Levi muttered. Should he text back? Although part of him longed for the warmth of another human in his arms, and part of him definitely desired the sex, he hesitated. He had thoughts. Thoughts of a certain lanky social studies teacher. One who had asked him to pretend he was his boyfriend.  _ Boyfriend _ . The word flustered Levi, sent him to pieces really. Boyfriend. Ugh! Exciting and scary all at the same time.

He’d never been anyone’s boyfriend before; Nile never thought of him that way. He went over it in his mind and came up pathetically blank. Casual fuck, fuck buddy … never, ever, had anyone called him ‘boyfriend’.

He wondered if it would hurt to just pretend for a little while?

  
  
  


Levi was mulling over his options when Eren ran up to him, breathless, "OK, OK, Don't be mad!"

"That phrase is pretty much guaranteed to make me mad," said Levi, "What is it? Just spit it out!"

"Mike got our rooms," Eren gasped,

"Great. So what’s the problem?"

"So ... so he uh thinks we're together."

Levi's already sour face darkened to irate. "Your fault. And ...?"

"And ... and ..." Eren fidgeted, "And he booked us into the same room."

"That's not so bad ..."

"It's a single."

Levi stared at him, puzzled.

Eren worried his lower lip.

"Oh, god." Levi said slowly as realization dawned, "There's only one bed."

Eren nodded miserably.

“Well no problem,” Levi said. “I’ll just get my own room.”

“Can’t,” Eren said, looking even more unhappy if that was possible. “There are no more rooms.”

“Different hotel.”

“They’re all full.”

“Shit.”

“Well,” Eren said, “Let’s look at the room, at least!”

Turns out that the posh hotel (where Mike and Erwin were staying) that hosted the conference was  _ not _ where Levi and Eren were staying.

_ “I’m sorry,” _ Mike had texted,  _ “There are multiple conferences going on today and this was the only hotel in town with a room.” _

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Levi chanted as they got out of the rental car at the Red Rose Motel and Bar.

"This is OK. I'll just sleep on the couch, or the floo--"

Levi and Eren surveyed the room. There was a very small looking bed, a ratty dresser, a rusty air conditioning unit ... and carpet. Green bobbly carpet with greyish patches where it’d been worn down. Levi actually recoiled.

Eren ducked into the microscopic bathroom.

"One of us couldn't even sleep in the tub. There isn't one."

Levi peeked in. Shower stall with rust stains, sink, toilet. “Fuck.”

At least everything seemed immaculately clean.

They ended up staying

"I can't stand this," Levi hissed.

"But it's only for two days,"

"Two days of staying in a shitty motel room pretending to be something we're not," Levi said bitterly.

"Fine," Eren snapped. "Just fine. We'll pretend to break up. Will that make you happy?"

Levi crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at the young man. "Pretend to break up? How're we going to do that? also, what's with the 'make me happy' remark? I don't like this any more than you do!"

Eren averted his face, worried that it might show how he really felt; that the thought of pretending to be this man’s boyfriend made him absurdly _ happy _ .

Levi took that opportunity to chew his lip worriedly.

Abruptly Eren stood and, without looking back, strode into the bathroom and slammed the door. He braced his arms on the sink, head hanging, willing the tears not to come. They came anyway.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Yeager," he muttered to himself, "Grow some balls. The man doesn't want you. He has no feelings for you at all."

  
  


Outside, Levi hadn't moved. He dragged his fingers through his hair. Why did the kid seem upset? He was really that scared of his perfect ex discovering that he was still single? Why  _ was _ he single? He's hot as hell.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, what am I doing?"

  
  
  


It was hot. beastly hot.

Levi glanced over his shoulder at the ancient air conditioner that grunted and wheezed like an old man getting off the toilet. It may as well have  _ been _ a toilet with how little it was doing to cool the room.

Levi scowled. He couldn't even stretch shamelessly out on the bed; Eren was there.

Levi studied the lump that was Eren. They both were lying on their left sides facing the tiny bathroom, a discreet distance apart in the narrow bed. Both were on top of the sheets (due to the fucking heat) and both slept in just a t-shirt and boxer briefs.

Levi sighed. He couldn't sleep. He found himself looking at the serpentine silhouette of Yeager's right side. Wild brown hair massed on the pillow, one shoulder, his ribcage rising and falling gently (how could he sleep in this fucking heat?) waist, hip, ...

Hip.

Levi's fellow social studies teacher's t-shirt had ridden up as he slept exposing a wide expanse of tan skin between the hem of his tee and the waistband of his boxers. Levi swallowed hard. There it was right there, that golden skin, so young and supple.

Eren's skin was a darker tone than Levi's own, a warm tan that made him think of sunny beaches, and his ass was the most beautiful Levi'd ever seen, round and firm. When he imagined how soft those plush cheeks must be it made his mouth water.

Levi suddenly found himself resisting the urge to touch, to fondle.

_ What the actual fuck, Ackerman?! _

  
  


Eren could acutely feel the dip of the bed and every tiny movement Levi made. What in the world did he, Eren, want anyway? The man hated him. Eren tried not to move. Levi was obviously restless as it was so he stayed resolutely still. Yet the thought that Levi Ackerman was sleeping or at least resting mere inches away from him on a bed ...

What did he want?

Honestly? He wanted to roll over and kiss the man, wrap his arms around him and pull him closer

  
  


The next day of the conference was just as dull with numerous seminars that taught Levi exactly nothing. That evening was a dress-up dinner at the hotel’s lavish restaurant.

Eren looked like a million bucks. He didn't know it but he did. Whereas most of the men had on suits or sports jackets Eren had only khaki trousers and a pale teal-colored collared shirt that matched his eyes perfectly. Levi, in his black suit, felt rather drab next to him.

At the same time, he felt inexpressibly proud. Everyone thought they were together. Everyone thought that he, poker-faced and sour attitude, short and antisocial was with this stunning creature.

They sat at a small table close to the dance floor and a waiter hurried over. He was a cute thing, tall and slender and red-haired and clearly gay judging from the way he fawned over Eren. Levi frowned. Why was Eren letting this waiter joke around with him and flirt with him? He and Eren weren't  _ together  _ together but they were together for this conference. Was he trying to make Levi look bad? Eren said something witty and the red-headed waiter laughed delightedly. Levi scowled. Suddenly his eyes focused on a table across the dance floor and on Erwin smith who was also scowling.

What did that big asshole have to scowl about? Wait ... Was Eren trying to make Erwin jealous? Why? And if so why wasn't Levi enough to do that?

Levi let his gaze wander over the Elementary school principal. Tall; check. Blond; check Handsome as fuck; check check check. He turned to look at the tall, strawberry blond waiter who was currently walking away, his tight ass twitching side to side seductively.

Eren had a type. 

And it wasn't small, dark, and grumpy.

Levi shrank in on himself, miserably feeling just as he had when they'd met Erwin and Mike: inadequate. Eren turned to him, still smiling but that smile quickly faded. "What's wrong?"

Levi was angry and upset and humiliated and he couldn't show any of those emotions. Couldn't because it would give them away to everyone and because it would give him away to Eren. The boy had no idea that Levi liked him and revealing any of these feelings would just be confusing and awkward.

"Nothing. Let's order."

Eren frowned. What was wrong with Levi? Had something happened? Had he done something? He picked up the menu but his mind wouldn't focus. He glanced around the room. Erwin was looking and was most definitely miffed. Eren hoped he was jealous. He sat up straighter and smiled in the blond man's direction then glanced at Levi. Whatever his fellow social studies teacher was brooding about it didn't detract from his dark good looks, or how tight across his shoulders and his thighs his suit was. His raven black hair fell over thin black brows knit in concentration as he perused the menu and Eren's heart did a clumsy double thump in his chest at the sight. He was so proud to be out with the beautiful, irascible, little man

Levi suddenly looked up and Eren colored. He'd been caught staring.

"What's up, brat?"

"Should we ... should we, maybe, hold hands or something?"

A strange look crossed Levi's face almost as if he was in pain.

The dinner was followed by more mindlessly dull seminars and by the end of the day both men were glad to head back to their comfortable if slightly seedy room. 

They had picked up takeaway and stopped at a 24-hour convenience store for Eren to get a Big Gulp and some candy bars. Levi morosely concocted some tea from the hot water and the tea bags the store had on hand. He had very little conviction that it could properly be called ‘tea’.

They finally reached the room and Levi stripped off his dress shirt and---to Eren’s appreciation---got ready for bed in his trousers and undershirt. The narrow straps of the undershirt emphasized his powerful shoulders and the thin material left nothing to the imagination.

They ate on the bed, Eren resting against the headboard, admiring Levi’s back, and Levi perched on the end clicking lazily through the television channels.

“For fuck’s sake,” Levi said, “how many skin channels do they need?”

They finished off their food and both began packing for the next morning.

"We should end this as soon as we get back to school," Levi said after a bit.

"End it? You mean ...?" Eren's heart clenched.

"Oh for fuck's sake! You act as if we really are dating and really are breaking up!" Levi said, exasperated. But it did feel real. It felt wrong.

Eren bowed his head and, crossing the room, set his Big Gulp beside Levi's tea on the dresser. "Don't be silly," he said quietly.

Levi stood and dropped his bag by the dresser next to Eren's.

Eren gestured with his toothbrush, "We can share the bathroom, If ... if you want." he offered.

"No thanks," Levi said with a poorly hidden expression of disgust, "I don't want to stand by someone spitting into the sink."

Eren brushed his teeth sadly and alone.

They were just switching for the bathroom when Eren's cell rang. he fumbled to get his toothbrush in his bag and his cell phone out, when he jostled the dresser with his hip.

"Christ, watch out Yeager!" Levi managed to say when both Levi's full tea and Eren's half full Coke tipped off of the dresser and straight into Levi's open bag.

"Oh, shit," Levi said.

"Oh fuck! Oh shit! Oh, Levi, I'm so sorry!"

Levi, clad only in trousers and an undershirt merely opened his hands wide. He had no shirt to wear. Thanks to Eren.

The poor young man scrambled to upend Levi's bag onto the carpet and try to stem the flow of liquid to no avail.

"I've ... I've, uh, got a shirt you can wear."

Levi grimaced, "Is it clean?"

"Of course it's clean! Do you think I'd offer you a dirty shirt?"

"You never know with some people," Levi said darkly.

Eren began to peel off the shirt he'd just put on. "Here wear this one, it's clean, I just put it on"

It was just a plain burgundy tee shirt. The boy had indeed just put it on. Levi had watched him. Perhaps a bit too avidly.

Eren pulled the shirt over his head and rummaged in his bag for the one he'd worn the night before. By the time Levi could have found his voice the other tee was on Eren, the dark green complimenting his teal eyes. 

Levi, who tended to wear button-ups, had to remove his undershirt to wear the casual tee. He stripped the white tank off and threw it on the bed. Eren almost failed to overcome the urge to snatch it up and smell it. Just when he thought he was about to grab the garment and press his face into it behind the other teacher’s back he got a good look at Levi's naked torso.

Eren's mouth fell open.

Levi was facing away from him toward the dresser but its large mirror gave him a perfect view. All thoughts of smelling Levi's undershirt faded and were replaced by the severe and desperate urge to smell the man himself.

Eren knew that Levi worked out. He'd seen the gym bag every morning. and he knew he was in great shape, he'd seen him in a thin undershirt but nothing on earth prepared him for Levi half-naked.

Sporting very little body fat at all brought his muscles into sharp relief, every dip and curve, every bulge exquisite in Eren’s eyes. And his skin, pale like porcelain and faultlessly smooth, looked positively kissable. Eren wondered what delightful marks he could bring up on that skin.

" ... the shirt?"

Eren blinked. Apparently, Levi had been talking to him

"what?"

"Are you planning on giving me the shirt or not, brat?"

“Oh, sorry,” Eren mumbled and handed it over. He began gathering up Levi’s wet clothing. “I’ll go wash these.”

In the motel’s tiny laundry Eren allowed himself to go over and over the amazing scene of an almost-naked Levi, his eyes glazing over as he watched the washer spin. Back in the room Levi lifted the collar of the t-shirt to his nose and inhaled deeply. It smelled like Eren. A tiny smile snuck onto his face at the scent.

A storm rolled in later that night and brought blessed cool with it. Levi dragged one of the two chairs that were at the tiny table out onto the narrow concrete walkway in front of the rooms. The rain pelted the aluminum overhang and just barely missed Levi's shoes. It was nice though. The rain was soothing and the thunder grumbled agreeably with the occasional flash of lightning behind the trees.

It didn't take Eren long to drag the other chair out. They sat in a comfortable silence, the door to their room open and letting out a slice of light onto the concrete between them.

"Want a drink?" Levi said suddenly. "Mike's paying the bill, let's raid the minibar."

Eren grinned and nodded.

"You go get the liquor and I'll get the ice," Levi said

Eren re-entered the room and crouched in front of the tiny refrigerator full of mini bottles. "What do you want?"

"Whisky, or vodka, or both," Levi said, snagging the ice bucket.

He walked down the concrete strip heading for the ice machine. Every room was occupied but no one else was out enjoying the beautiful storm.

"Too bad for you," Levi murmured, scooping ice.

A big roll of thunder burst out, somewhat muted, and the rain came down harder. Levi had to walk closer to the building to avoid getting his shoes wet. When he got back to the open door of the room Eren was sat in his chair, a cluster of mini bottles in hand and two cheap plastic cups on the ground beside him.

Levi settled back into his chair and noticed that Eren, with his long legs couldn't relax fully without getting wet so he had removed his shoes and rolled up his trouser legs. The rain pattered around his feet and spattered his toes. His feet were long and tan and his toes sported tiny tufts of brown hair.

"Goddamned Hobbit," Levi said without malice. Eren grinned and Levi thought secretly that Eren's fuzzy toes---and his sweet smile---were adorable.


	8. Contentment

As if enough hadn't gone wrong, the entire Stohess High contingent missed the train back home and had to rent a car. Mike did the renting and drove. Petra Ral, the guidance counselor, rode in the back with Eren, and Levi rode shotgun.

"Sorry about the motel, guys," Mike said as he drove. "I take it you coped ok?" he smiled knowingly.

Levi scowled and Eren looked absurdly pleased.

It was a long drive and Levi surreptitiously smelled the collar of his shirt---the shirt Eren had lent him---a few times on the ride back. Eren contented himself with admiring Levi’s profile.

Getting back to room 104 was cathartic for Levi. He still had money problems and the fluttery, bubbly feeling in his gut when he thought of Eren Yeager but at least he was back in his familiar room.

Working with Yeager seemed a lot less stressful, too. The kid kept to his side of the area and smiled shyly every time they locked gazes. At least they weren’t fighting too badly (Except for one scuffle over a trash can. Levi won, hands down.)

Levi’s only problems now---aside from money---were that the staff had the idea from Mike that the two of them were together and Nile wouldn’t leave him alone. 

“Great,” he muttered as he was distractedly grading papers, “A fuck buddy I don’t want and a fake boyfriend I …”

Levi stopped grading and stared off into the distance. He had been going to say  _ ‘boyfriend I also don’t want’  _ but couldn’t quite bring himself to say it out loud.

  
  


Levi's phone buzzed and he pounced on it. He had forgotten for a moment that Eren was Txt Boy. When he remembered a millisecond later he paused, frowning. He missed Txt Boy’s---Eren’s---texts. He'd never get texts from Txt Boy again and that made him sad. The phone buzzed again and Levi snapped out of his torpor and looked at it.

[Nile] _ "hey baby" _

[Nile]  _ "guess you couldn't talk the other day." _

Levi snorted in disgust.

[Nile]  _ "I miss you. I miss you know what." _

[Nile]  _ "baby, you there?" _

[Nile] _ "ANSWER ME" _

Levi shivered. Nile was getting angry and Nile got nasty angry. He'd never hit Levi but he'd come close. Levi felt confident in his ability to defend himself but Nile could be vicious and petty in other ways.

[Nile]  _ "You got somebody else, Levi?" _

[Nile]  _ "PICK UP THE PHONE DAMNIT!" _

Did he have somebody else? Did he? Did his fascination with Eren Yeager count? Whatever, he had no intention of going back to Nile. Ever. He'd rather jerk off to images of the young social studies teacher than fuck Nile ever again. Fuck it. 

_ "Leave me alone, Nile," _ he typed.

_ "There is someone else. We're done. You decided that yourself." _

[Nile]  _ "Baby, no! I was crazy at the time!" _

[Nile]  _ "I never wanted to break up with you!!!" _

"Three exclamation marks on that lie, eh, Nile?" Levi murmured.

_ "I've found someone else and that's it. Don't text me again." _

[Nile]  _ "Fuck! Fucking FUCK!" _

[Nile]  _ "Who is it?!!" _

Levi sighed and calmly turned his phone off, dropping it in a lower drawer. "Enough of Nile Dok."

What Levi  _ didn’t _ know was that Erwin Smith, Mike Zacharias, and Nile Dok had all gone to college together.

  
  


The next day Eren came in late and angry. Hange’s and Levi’s eyebrows went up at the fury with which Eren threw his book satchel onto his chair and they exchanged concerned glances.

“Eren, sweetie?” Hange said, “Everything ok?”

“No everything is  _ not  _ OK!” Eren snarled and then he was hunched over his desk and clearly trying not to cry. Hange rushed to his side and even Levi stood, hovering awkwardly.

“What’s happened, honey?” Hange said, “Eren?”

The young man looked up, eyes red, “I’ve been kicked out of my apartment.”

“Oh, sugar!” Hange crooned, rubbing his back. “What happened?”

“Idiot owner sold the building and the new owner wants everyone out in two weeks. Two weeks! Do you know how hard it is to find an apartment in this part of Trost?!”

“Well, we’ll help,” Hange promised, “Levi and I will … Levi. Wait …  _ Levi!” _

“What?!” Levi snapped.

“The room! Your  _ room _ for  _ rent _ …” and Hange’s brows did a complicated dance trying to convey her meaning.

Eren looked up hopefully.

“What about it?” Levi asked. “I couldn’t find anyone decent to---”

Hange nodded urgently toward Eren.

“Ohhhh, no …” Levi said.

“Leeeeeeeviiiiii,” Hange insisted.

"Oh, my god!" Levi hissed, looking around quickly, "Everyone thinks we're dating and now you want them to think we're living together?!"

"Please, Levi!" Eren whispered hoarsely

"Levi, they're throwing him out of his apartment!" Hange said, "Have a heart!"

"Have a heart?! It's  _ my _ fucking home!" Levi said strangling on the last word.

"I'll pay you rent," Eren said desperately, "You were gonna let me have the room when you thought I was Txt Boy!"

"That's before I found out you were you!" Levi ran his fingers distractedly through his hair. "You hate my guts, anyway! Why would you want to live with me?"

"I don't hate  _ your  _ guts! You hate _ my _ guts!"

"I do not!"

“Do too!”

“Not!”

"Then let him move in with you, Levi," Hange, who had been privy to the whole story, interjected.

Levi’s emotions crashed over him in a wave. He’d be helping the kid out. He’d get to keep his house. He’d have someone in his life and his home even if it was just as a roommate. He’d have Txt Boy ...

“Goddamnit, fuck, OK!”

  
  
  


Over a year after Levi's mother had passed away he had finally moved all of his things into the master bedroom, which was bigger. His mother's single bed, dresser, and bedside table were in Levi's old room—-now the spare room—-along with Levi's weights.

Friday it was chilly but sunny, a perfect moving day, and Levi and Eren set up the bed, the dresser, and the table and moved the weights to Levi's room. While Eren went to Hange's car to get the boxes of his stuff Levi surveyed the maple bedroom set that had been his mother's for so many long years.

"I think you'd like him, Ma," he whispered.

"Levi!" Hange called from the kitchen. "I'm making lunch, what do you want?"

"Don't you dare mess with anything in my kitchen, shitty glasses!"

"Well are you paying for pizza?"

" _ I  _ am," said Eren appearing from behind a stack of boxes, smiling.

Levi took a moment to admire that sunny smile then acquiesced. He didn't like pizza but if it made the brat happy ...

  
  
  


The next day, Saturday, was the first open house that Stohess High had had since they had hired on the new staff and Eren was excited and happy. He had a wonderful cozy house to live in, that he could afford, and he had a blinding crush on his amazing roommate. What was not to be happy about? As for the open house, he loved meeting the parents and guardians of his kids and learning about their home life. As was normal only about half of the parents came - the others too busy or too uncaring to show. But Eren didn't care. He flitted around like the social butterfly that he was and kept his eye on Levi who went about things in a much more reserved way. When Eren gathered a few of the soccer moms and dads and went to show them the gym (where the team practiced during inclement weather) was the only time he went out of sight of the other social studies teacher.

Just as the sporty parents were dissipating, another man approached Eren. They were in the gym hallway, a long corridor that stretched the length of the gymnasium and separated it from the PE teacher’s offices and the storage rooms. It was bare and long and echoey under pale fluorescent lights. On a Saturday like this one it was also deserted, so he and the creepy man were alone.

  
  


Halfway through the school, at that moment, Nanaba came wheeling into room 104 like she was driving for NASCAR, tires squeaking on the old wooden floors. “Levi, you’d better come. There’s some cop talking to Eren.”

“A cop?”

“Yes. Mike saw them on the cameras. Down in the gym hallway. Mike’s acting all strange about it.”

Levi shot out of the room almost as fast as the ELA teacher, forgetting entirely that he and Eren were  _ not  _ an item.

  
  
  


The man with Eren was tall and skinny with thin, dark hair and a sparse beard. He didn’t look happy.

“Hel...hello!” Eren stuttered, taken aback. He held out his hand to shake with the man. The man ignored it.

“Nile Dok,” the man said.

“Eren. Eren Yeager. Do you have a child on the … the soccer team?”

Again he was ignored. Instead, Nile circled warily around Eren, a sneer on his patchy face.

"So you're the fuck toy, eh?"

Eren's jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon?!”

“The new fuck toy. Levi’s new fuck toy.” The man snarled.

“Levi’s … ?” Eren squeaked.

“Oh, come on, kid. He’s not fucking me, so he must be fucking you. Mike told me you two were an item.” He reached out and slowly lifted Eren’s tie, letting it slip through his fingers.

_ What the hell was this guy talking about?  _ Eren wondered. He and Levi weren’t lovers. Maybe he had flirted with him a little bit … Who was this asshole anyway? Suddenly Eren noticed the uniform. A cop. Levi's ex was a cop.

Oh my god ... maybe Levi was using him to get his ex back? Telling his ex that they were lovers to make him jealous. Is this how Levi saw him? As just some fuck toy?

Eren was embarrassed to feel tears prickling behind his eyelids.

“I … I don’t know what you’re talking ab-about!”

“Don’t you?” Nile said, “Levi and I had a good thing going until you showed up you little bastard.”

“We never had a good thing,” a deep voice said.

Eren whirled around to find Levi slouched casually against the door jamb to one of the coach's offices.

“Levi, baby!” Nile said.

“Don’t ‘baby’ me, Nile Dok,” Levi said.

“Oh, honey don’t be like that!” Nile crooned. “You know you’d much rather have a real man than this kid!”

Eren bristled, hands clenching into fists.

Then, to Nile’s and Eren’s surprise, Levi---the man who hated touching and being touched---stepped forward and slipped his arm around Eren’s waist. “This ‘kid’, Nile, is my boyfriend and that’s more than I could ever say about you so why don’t you get your scruffy face out of here and leave us alone?”

“Yeah,” Eren said, bursting with pride and happiness.

“You little twink son-of-a-bitch!” Nile roared. Then, before anyone could move, Mike was there, hand on Nile’s arm, towering menacingly.

“Why don’t we take a walk, Nile?”

“But Mike! Levi likes  _ me _ ! He wants _ me _ not this … this  _ teenager!” _

“Hey! I’m 22!” Eren protested.

Levi rolled his eyes and tugged Eren away while Mike pulled Nile in the opposite direction.

“That bastard!” Eren fumed as Levi guided him up the hallway. Levi rubbed his back soothingly. 

“Forget about him. Are you OK?”

“I’m OK, I … I just need to think,” Eren said.

Levi stepped reluctantly away from him, “Take all the time that you want …”

Eren nodded and hurried off.

“... I’ll be here.” Levi said to the empty hall.

The rest of the open house went terribly for Levi. He was forced to smile and make nice-nice with parents all the while worrying about Eren. Where had the kid gone? Levi knew he was angry but was he angry at _ him?  _ Why didn’t he come back to their room?

Levi fretted and fidgeted and gave only a small amount of attention to the parents. Finally, the thing was over and he had a respite where he was all alone except for Hange across the room bubbling over at some kid’s late-arriving parents. Levi was just about to sit at his desk, exhausted, when his phone buzzed.

“Fucking Nile … It better not be yo---”

[Txt Boy]  _ “Hey” _

Levi was so startled he almost dropped his phone and had to fumble for it, cursing. Txt Boy.  _ His  _ Txt Boy.  _ Eren. _

_ “Hey. How are you doing?” _

_ “I’m sorry about fucking Nile. He’s a loser.”  _

[Txt Boy]  _ “You’re sorry about Nile that fucker or sorry about fucking Nile?” _

_ “Both.” _

_ “I’m sorry he upset you.” _

[Txt Boy] “...”

Levi frowned. What did the ellipsis mean? That he was thinking? Or that he didn’t believe him? He was angry at Levi. Levi could tell.

[Txt Boy]  _ “Nile … he called me somthng …” _

_ “Just ignore him, Eren. He’s a dumb fucker.” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “He called me your fucktoy” _

Levi sat back in his chair. So Nile was jealous? Was Eren upset? Why was Eren upset? They weren’t even in a relationship much less doing … that.

Just the thought of getting his hands on Eren’s lean, tan body made his cock twitch. He frowned at himself. Not what he needed to be thinking about right now!

_ “That was just his idiot ass being jealous.” _

_ “He doesn’t know you or anything about us” _

_ “Are you sure you’re OK?” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “m fine, jus angry” _

Then, after several long moments:

[Txt Boy]  _ “Is that how u see me, Levi?”  _

“The fuck?!” Levi burst up out of his chair and Hange’s parents started and looked concernedly at him.

“Sorry,” he said

_ “Eren! Please don’t ever think that!”  _ He typed quickly.

_ “I don’t see you that way!” _

[Txt Boy]  _ “u don’t? U didn't just do this to make tht asshole jealous?” _

_ “No, Eren, of course not!” _

Hange had ushered the parents out and was picking up her bag.

_ You OK? _ she mouthed.

Levi nodded and flipped his hand toward her:  _ I’m OK, go on home. _

_ “Eren, I mean it.” _

Levi heard Hange’s voice in the hall. More parents? The open house had been over for an hour. A moment later Eren stepped into room 104.

“Eren!” Levi had to stop himself running over and embracing the young man.

Eren stood with his hands clenched into fists. “I have to hear it, Levi, from your own lips.”

“Anything,” Levi breathed.

"Do you ... do you think that I’m just something pretty to fuck?" Eren’s face was bright red and he scuffed the floor with one toe.

Levi scrubbed his face with both hands.

"Jesus, Eren, that's not it. That was never it. Eren … I love you ..."

Eren’s head snapped up and it was Levi’s turn to go crimson.

But that was it. That was what Eren had been waiting, hoping, to hear. he exhaled his breath in what sounded suspiciously like a sob and threw himself into the older man's arms.

“I don’t wa-want to be just co-workers,” Eren said wretchedly, his hands tracing the harsh line of Levi’s jaw.

“Eren, Eren!” Levi shook his head, “we stopped being ‘just co-workers’ a long time ago.”

“I was so worried about Nile, about how you felt about him. And about me.”

"I'm just really fucking shit at this," Levi said.

Eren grinned down at the floor, "Yeah, you are."

Levi looked wretchedly down at his hands, clasped, white-knuckled, in front of him. "I can try to do better,"

"No."

Levi's head jerked up.

No, it's OK," Eren said, "I like you just the way you are." He smiled "I don't need you to be perfect. I don't need you to be anything. I just need you!"

When they kissed---for the first time, ever---It was slow and shy like two highschoolers. They kissed and nibbled, experimented with licking into each other’s mouths and soon were over Levi’s desk, Eren’s ass on it and Levi pressed between Eren’s legs rubbing their half-hard cocks together through their clothes.

Levi slid his right hand down slowly, encountered the obstacle of Eren’s trousers edge and slipped under. His fingertips slid through soft chestnut pubic hair to the base of his cock.

Eren sucked in a breath through his teeth. The base of the shaft had much less sensitivity than the head but it was psychological. Levi was touching him, touching his dick!

  
  


Levi was having a hard time controlling himself. He was supposed to be nibbling and nipping slowly over the younger man's collar bone but the temptation was too great. The sheer expanse of soft, tan skin, the swell of muscle. He was fucking mesmerized and he knew it. He wanted to bite, to suck, to taste, and take and he had to remember to pace himself. 

  
  


Levi found it incredibly sweet and meaningful that his first true-love kiss was in room 104 but he drew the line at fucking in the school. There were no cameras in the classroom but it was the principle of the thing. He wanted to take Eren apart bit by bit and make him make the most sinful sounds. That didn’t belong in the school.

“We … we gotta leave.” he panted, “Go home.”

Eren whined but nodded his head.

They boldly held hands on the bus ride home and even exchanged a few chaste kisses much to the disgust of some of the passengers. 

_ Fuck em, _ Levi thought. He was in love and he didn’t care who knew it. He smiled thinly and gripped Eren’s hand harder.

Once home, they put their coats and bags away and Levi led a very shy Eren into the master bedroom. Their calm dissolved quickly and they fell on each other, kissing, licking, sucking; they both would have lovers marks on their necks the next day at school and neither one cared

It was the greatest pleasure to kiss and neck and slowly peel off each other’s clothes but their casual pace didn’t last. When they got each other down to their boxers suddenly Eren was on his back on the bed, legs spread and pupils blown wide and black with lust.

  
  


Levi ground his hips down against Eren’s making the younger man moan and arch up in pleasure.

  
  
  


“Oh Levi I love you so much,” Eren said, hands on either side of Levi’s face. The older man pressed their clothed erections together again and rocked his hips slowly. Eren groaned.

Levi left Eren’s lips to kiss along his jaw and under his ear, trailing down his neck. The younger man tried desperately to keep still but the sensation of Levi nipping at his collarbones was almost too much. Levi moved lower swirling his tongue experimentally around Eren’s nipple. It earned him a gasp.

“Sensitive? Good.”

He sucked the nipple into his mouth and Eren’s back came off the bed in a delicious arch.

“Levi!”

Downward, downward. Levi nipped and sucked over the taut and tan expanse of Eren’s torso until he met the edge of Eren’s boxers. Taking the material of the waistband under his thumbs he slowly,  _ slowly _ pulled them down until Eren’s erection righted itself proudly and flopped heavily onto Eren’s stomach.

Levi was almost drooling.

He handled the balls first, warm and rounded and covered in the same chocolate-colored hair as Eren’s head, Levi palmed them and Eren groaned again.

“Levi … Please.”

Without touching Eren’s twitching cock with his hands at all Levi licked a slow stripe up the underside causing the younger man to hiss in pleasure. Levi slowly almost casually lifted Eren’s member and engulfed the head in his mouth, sucking lightly. Eren squirmed and gasped as Levi sucked down the shaft taking in as much as he could without gagging. For several moments he just slowly bobbed up and down until Eren was almost delirious with pleasure.

“L-Levi, if you don’t … please stop I’m gonna … cum … if you…”

Levi came off the younger man’s cock and slowly crawled back up his body pausing a few times to suck up a dark mark on Eren’s beautiful skin. They kissed slowly and luxuriously, Eren tasting himself on Levi’s lips.

Levi sat back on his knees and taking Eren’s left leg brought it over onto the right leaving Eren with his shoulders on the bed and his torso twisted so that both legs lay on the left side of Levi’s legs and Eren’s firm, plump ass pressed against Levi’s crotch. Levi rummaged in the bedside table for lube and a condom

Condom on, Levi took a healthy squirt of lube and eased two fingers between those lush cheeks. Eren gasped as Levi smoothly fingerfucked the younger man. He pushed in to the knuckle and rotated his fingers, the sensation causing Eren to moan and squirm in ecstasy.

“Does that feel good? Are you ready for my cock?”

Eren nodded breathlessly and eagerly and Levi quickly removed his fingers and suddenly hauled Eren’s left leg up onto his right shoulder and pressed the tip of his cock against Eren’s hole. Eren’s ass twitched at the removal of Levi’s fingers and he whined, trying to impale himself on Levi’s cock by levering himself up with his legs but Levi held him firmly.

“Just relax,”

The head of Levi’s cock breached the ring of Eren’s ass and Levi smoothly pushed about half of it in. He paused to let Eren adjust then pushed again, seating himself balls deep. For a moment he just paused there, looking down at the almost ethereal beauty that was Eren. Silky brown hair spread wildly over the pillow, one leg thrown over Levi’s shoulder, arms asunder, eyes smoldering with lust. He already looked totally debauched, totally fucked out and Levi hadn't even really started. He loved it.

Slowly he began moving, slowly he drew his cock out to the head then eased back in, teasing. He wanted to go slow, to make it last, to draw it out, but he was so close himself just from what they’d done so far he knew he wouldn’t last. So a quick pace it was, and Eren didn’t seem to mind.

Levi loved this position, getting to look down on Eren to watch his every twitch and grimace to see his mouth form every moan. With Nile he’d always insisted that Levi fuck him from behind. He didn’t want to see Levi’s face, acknowledge that he was getting fucked by a man. He also never kissed Levi, ever.

At that memory Levi bent forward, folding Eren up, causing his cock to go in impossibly deeper, and kissed the young man who eagerly grabbed his face in both hands and kissed him back.

“I love you so much” Eren murmured before Levi got a chance to and Levi‘s heart swelled and almost burst with happiness and love.

“I love you too, Eren, Oh god I love you!” Levi came suddenly and explosively spilling inside Eren with a gasp and a long drawn out moan. He stutteringly kept up his rhythm as he came and grabbed Eren’s dick with his left hand.

“Oh don’t touch, Levi don’t touch, I’ll ---”

And Eren came between them, coating his own belly with slippery white.

After they came down from their respective highs, Levi carefully and lovingly cleaned them both up with a warm washcloth. Eren snuggled into Levi’s soft bed and asked the question he dreaded, “Should I go back to my own room?”

Levi seemed startled by it.

“Do you want to?”

“No!”

Levi smiled one of his tiny smiles, “Then don’t,” He kissed Eren thoroughly and lay down behind him, drawing the younger man close.

“I love you, Levi,” Eren said as if to remind him.

Levi chuckled, “I love you too, brat.”

“Does this mean we can share the Principles of Social Studies book, now?”

Levi yawned, “Not a chance, Txt Boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end, Happy Peoples! Thank you as always for coming with me on this journey. Each one of your kudos and comments helped me to go on! Please let me know what you thought of the fic as a whole and don't hesitate to let me know what you'd like to see in the future!  
> Also: I've been told that posting twice a week might be overwhelming and I've been thinking of going to once a week. Thoughts?


End file.
